Mild Scoliosis

By Sally Ann Quirke, Chartered Physiotherapist | Filed under: Scoliosis

Published: 05 December 2015

Mild scoliosis is actually very common.

I see it in a lot of my backpain and neck pain patients daily and almost all of these are temporary non-structural scoliosis that resolve within 1-2 physiotherapy sessions.

You may ask me, “What is a mild scoliosis?” (see here for more details on What is scoliosis in general).

A mild scoliosis is a small deviation or twist in your spine at some level - often so small it is only visible to a trained eye or x-ray facility. The good news is they are usually not a serious problem once addressed early (especially with scoliosis in children) with effective treatment techniques.

Common Causes of Mild Scoliosis

The most common causes that I see on a daily basis are:

1. Disc prolapses.
2. Leg length differences.
3. Joint injuries.
4. Tight muscles.
5. Weak core muscles.

Treating Mild Scoliosis

The correct treatment technique will depend on the cause of your mild scoliosis and eliminating it where possible. If left untreated, mild scoliosis can become worse and more difficult to resolve - and there is a definite link between scoliosis and back pain. Furthermore, unresolved scoliosis can result in further damage and pain to your back and neck. So seek early assessment always.

Let me give you an example: I had a lady one morning in my clinic that had lower right back pain. It was moderately severe and had been present for 6 months. She had a mild scoliosis. She had previously had treatments on a number of occasions - but had no relief from her back pain. That morning she landed in my clinic, and within 10 minutes I identified that her right leg was 3cm shorter than her left. I placed a lift in her right shoe and her lower back pain was gone 20 minutes later! This is a classical example of the importance of a correct diagnosis.

So, if you feel that one leg is slightly shorter than your other one, or that your pelvis is not straight you may have a scoliosis. Seek a good physiotherapy assessment as soon as possible.

Read More

• Selection of articles on Scoliosis
• Article on Scoliosis and Back Pain
• Lean more about treating Scoliosis