Scoliosis is a complex condition that comes in many different forms, varies greatly in severity from one patient to the next, and manifests itself in all kinds of different ways. The
symptoms of scoliosis are many and varied: a curved spine can cause pain, stiffness, muscle imbalance, and even heart/lung problems in particularly critical cases.
However, for many scoliosis sufferers – particularly those who are young and have only recently been diagnosed – the most daunting potential consequence of spinal curvature is the impact it can have on one’s appearance.
How does scoliosis make you look?
Curvature of the spine can affect your appearance in a number of different ways. Common visible symptoms of scoliosis include:
- A sideways lean
- Uneven or tilted shoulders, hips, legs and/or rib cage
- Unusually prominent shoulder blade and/or ribs on one side
The severity of these symptoms varies greatly. Some cases of scoliosis are virtually invisible (particularly when the patient is clothed), whereas more pronounced curves may result in very noticeable prominences and asymmetries that are difficult to conceal.
Scoliosis patient gallery
To give you a better idea of what scoliosis looks like, here are some photos of scoliosis sufferers who came to the
Scoliosis SOS Clinic for treatment (N.B. these photographs were taken before treatment commenced).
How to combat the visible symptoms of scoliosis
If you are concerned that your curved spine may have a dramatic impact on the way you look, there are a number of ways to minimise the visibility of your condition:
- Certain types of clothing are better at concealing the signs of scoliosis than others – click here for advice.
- If your scoliosis is particularly severe, you may require spinal fusion surgery to correct it. This procedure will diminish the visibility of your curve, but it is usually only offered to patients with a Cobb angle of at least 40-50 degrees.
- Completing an exercise-based scoliosis treatment course can go a long way to reducing the visibility of your spinal curve. Here at Scoliosis SOS, we treat scoliosis sufferers using a method known as ScolioGold therapy that has proven very effective when it comes to reducing curve size.
