Scoliosis affects 2-3%
of the population, or an estimated 7 million people in
the United States, and there is no cure.
Scoliosis impacts infants, adolescents, and adults worldwide with
little
regard to race or socio-economic status. The primary age of onset
for scoliosis is 10-15 years old, occurring equally among both genders.
However, females are eight times more likely to progress to a curve
magnitude that requires treatment.
Scoliosis can impact the quality of life with limited activity,
pain, reduced
respiratory function, or diminished self-esteem.
The vast majority of people with this condition are not expected
to require
treatment. The problem is we do not know who will get it, why they
get it,
which will progress, or how far they will progress. Each year scoliosis
patients make more than 600,000 visits to private physician offices,
and an
estimated 30,000 children are put into a brace for scoliosis, while
38,000
patients undergo spinal fusion surgery.
Despite physicians trying to treat this spinal deformity for centuries,
85% of
the cases are classified as idiopathic. Consequently, a scoliosis
patient's
life is exacerbated by many unknowns, and treatments therefore that
are often ineffective, invasive, and/or costly. Scoliosis patients also have
increased health risks due to frequent x-ray exposure.
Scoliosis is a multifactorial disorder, which requires multidisciplinary
research and treatment.
You are not alone in your journey of living with scoliosis.
There are many
common issues facing every scoliosis patient, yet your personal
story and
experience with this spinal deformity is unique. Consequently, we
believe that Information and Support is essential to make the informed healthcare
decisions that must be made along the way, but we also recognize
and respect each person's individual needs.