A straight spine is essential for good health.

It ensures that all the organs of the body are in their rightful places and that nerve signals are transmitted smoothly from the brain via the spinal cord to the rest of the body.

Scoliosis, or abnormal curvature of the spine, is a serious condition that, if left untreated, can lead to severe deformity.

Besides physical deformity, it can lead to malfuntioning of organs that get misplaced and misaligned, causing problems of the respiratory, digestive, endocrine and other body systems.

In rare, severe cases, scoliosis can lead to premature death.

Possible causes

Scoliosis may be caused by a number of factors, including:

• regular and prolonged improper use of the body, such as carrying heavy loads on one side of the body;
• flat feet, uneven leg lengths and other conditions that cause a person to walk in an unbalanced manner;
• uneven stress or muscle tension, whereby the muscles on some parts of the body are perpetually more tense / tighter than other parts.
• extreme dietary imbalances and nutritional deficiency.

"No cure"

According to medical science, there is "no cure" for scoliosis.

The only medical treatment available is surgery to insert a metal rod into the spine, to force it straight. This is not an ideal solution, however, as it does not allow free movement of the individual vertebrae.

---

Osteopathy and scoliosis

Within osteopathic circles, it is well known that scoliosis (apart from structural scoliosis) can often be corrected - especially if the problem is detected early among young children whose skeletal structures are not yet fully developed.

Among older children and adults, scoliosis can at least be minimised such that it does not result in severe deformity, nor present any serious health problems. In some cases, even among adults, the degree of spinal curvature can be reversed.

Some of the tools and techniques used in osteopathy for correcting scoliosis include:

• Osteopathic manipulation;
• Postural exercises such as Alexander Technique and physiotherapy;
• Correction for leg length discrepency and flat feet through the use of orthotics.

Osteopaths can also advise on exercise therapy - such as mobilisation-based exercises - that can help reverse scoliosis. Exercises that emphasise good posture, such as yoga, can be helpful as well.

---

FREE SCOLIOSIS SCREENING

If you think that you, or your child, suffer from scoliosis, Osteopathic Treatment Centre offers you a free screening. This will cover:

• spinal curvature analysis
• leg length discrepency analysis
• biomechanics of the feet

Contact Osteopathic Treatment Centre at tel: (65) 6734-6440 or
e-mail david@osteopathy.com.sg