What test should be done for screening scoliosis?

SCREENING TESTS. Most screening tests for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis are noninvasive. Screening is usually done by visual inspection of the spine to look for asymmetry of the shoulders, shoulder blades, and hips. In the United States, the forward bend test is commonly used to screen for idiopathic scoliosis.

What is a normal degree of scoliosis?

Scoliosis means abnormal curvature of the spine greater than 10 degrees, as measured on an X-ray. Anything less than 10 degrees is considered normal variation in a normal individual. The curvature takes place in three dimensions. Normally, the spine is straight when looking at a person from the front or back.

What is the gold standard in measuring scoliosis?

The “gold standard” for routine monitoring of scoliosis is the Cobb angle measurement on radiographs of the spine.

What is a normal Cobb angle?

The condition of a spine is associated with the spinal curve instead of scoliosis when the Cobb angle is less than 10 degrees. A Cobb angle in the range of 10 to 20 degrees is considered as mild scoliosis. Scoliosis severity is moderate when the Cobb angle ranges from 20 to 40 degrees.

At what age do you screen for scoliosis?

Scoliosis may not be obvious until the spine is severely curved and is often painless, so it is recommended that children be screened for scoliosis at least twice – for girls during the ages between 10 and 12, and for boys during the ages of 13 and 14.

What is a simple screening test to detect any spine problems?

The standard screening exam is the Adam’s Forward Bend Test. In this test, the patient leans forward at the waist 90 degrees with his or her feet together. From this angle, the examiner can easily identify any asymmetry of the back or any abnormal spinal curvatures.

How is Cobb angle measured?

To measure the Cobb angle, one must first decide which vertebrae are the end vertebrae of the curve deformity (the terminal vertebrae) – the vertebra whose endplates are most tilted towards each other 4. Lines are then drawn along the endplates, and the angle between the two lines, where they intersect, measured.

What is a Cobb angle in scoliosis?

Cobb angle is a measurement of the degree of side-to-side spinal curvature, which is a deformity you may know as scoliosis. A Cobb angle describes the maximum distance from straight a scoliotic curve may be. Generally, it takes at least 10 degrees of deviation from straight before scoliosis is defined.

How is Cobb angle calculated?

The measuring steps of the tilt angle method are as follows: (1) Draw the upper and lower end vertebra endplate connecting line on the film. (2) Measure the tilt angles of the upper and lower endplates. (3) Add the two measured results to get the Cobb angle.

What is Cobb degree?