The prevalence of scoliosis, or curvature of the spine of 10? or more, in Taiwanese adolescents is about 2 to 3 percent, but it can be prevented by carrying a backpack that is not too heavy on both shoulders, not just one, an orthopedist said.
Taipei Veterans General Hospital orthopedist Fong Chi-guang (奉季光) cited a recent case he had of a 15-year-old girl, surnamed Chen (陳), who had first been diagnosed with scoliosis during a school health examination when she was in the fifth grade.
The teen’s mother told the doctor that her daughter often did not sit up straight when studying and hunched her back a little when she was writing.
The first X-ray exam taken during the school exam showed that Chen’s spine had curved about 20? to one side and six months later another X-ray showed the curve had worsened to 35?, while her body was obviously tilted when she sat down, the mother said.
After one doctor suggested that Chen undergo surgery that would leave a large scar on her back, the teen’s mother decided to take her to Taipei Veterans General Hospital for treatment.
The woman said she was relieved when Fong said her daughter could be treated with customized back braces and physical therapy, and her condition had improved under Fong’s care.
While scoliosis can be inherited, long-term unhealthy postures or carrying heavy bags can also cause it, and the condition can worsen to cause complications of other organs, Fong said.
Severe scoliosis can compress the lungs and the heart, he said, adding that some parents who do not have a lot of time to spend with their teenagers might not discover that their child’s posture has become tilted until the curvature has already exceeded 30?.
Children and teens should wear their backpacks on both shoulders and avoid carrying bags that are too heavy, the doctor said.
People who are diagnosed with scoliosis and given back braces to wear should wear the brace for long hours and do rehabilitation exercises daily, as well as getting follow-up exams on a regular basis, Fong said.
However, many teenagers sabotage their own treatment because they refuse to wear their back braces to school for fear of being labeled weird by classmates, he said.
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