Scoliosis patients who most often come to the doctor are actually those with idiopathic scoliosis. What is said to be idiopathic means that the cause until now we have never known, not because of habits such as sitting too long or others. However, if there is a tendency for scoliosis to have a crooked back, then the wrong sitting position in the long term can be a risk factor, making the angle worse.
Another habit that is also said to be bad for bone health is crossing your legs when sitting. Does this habit also affect scoliosis? The answer is no, so it's just a myth.
There is also a perception in society that treating scoliosis is considered difficult and requires a lot of money. Is that true?
Scoliosis Treatment Depends on the Angle
Regarding the treatment of scoliosis, this condition is not difficult to treat if the patient comes to the doctor on time. So the treatment of scoliosis is 60-70% if it comes at the right age, especially idiopathic, the treatment depends on the actual angle. An angle between 20 to 40 degrees is sufficient with just wearing a corset, no surgery is needed.
The doctor will facilitate the patient's body that was previously crooked to appear straight again with the help of a corset because the bones grow. Because without the use of a corset, the growth becomes more crooked.
70 Percent of Scoliosis Problems Solved with Corsets
By using a corset, the patient's back may not be completely straight. But at least, the scoliosis condition will not get worse and will grow straighter.
So 60-70% of scoliosis problems are solved by using a corset, but patients often come late, the angle is already above 45 degrees. The surgical procedure is performed if the scoliosis angle is large, usually above 45 degrees and interferes with other organs. For example, if the scoliosis is bent in the chest, it interferes with breathing. If it is in the lower back, to the point of extreme pain and inability to do activities, that will usually be intervened with surgery.
Scoliosis Surgery Success Rate
The success rate actually depends on the hospital facilities. If the hospital is quite complete with facilities supported by competent medical personnel, then the success rate of Scoliosis Surgery will be quite high.
On the other hand, the process of installing pins to straighten bones has become more sophisticated. So the risk becomes very minimal, not zero percent, but very minimal.
Article written by dr. Nicko Perdana Hardiansyah, Sp.OT (K) Spine (Orthopedic & Traumatology Specialist, Spine Consultant, EMC Pulomas Hospital).