Conditions
Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis
Quick answer
Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis is a sideways curve of the spine that appears around puberty without a known cause. Small curves are watched, moderate curves in growing children are braced, and large curves are corrected with surgery. Curve size, measured by the Cobb angle, guides treatment.
Medically reviewed by The Curaventa Team · Last updated 2026-10-24
What this stage or type means
- Starts between about age 10 and skeletal maturity.
- More common in girls to need treatment.
- Often painless; noticed as uneven shoulders or a rib hump.
- Curves grow most during growth spurts.
- The Cobb angle on X-ray measures size.
Treatment options
Observation
Regular X-rays for small curves.
Bracing
Worn many hours daily to slow progression of moderate curves in growing children.
Spinal fusion surgery
Corrects large curves with rods and screws, often navigation-guided.
Specific exercises
Scoliosis-specific physiotherapy as a supplement.
Tests that confirm it
- Standing full-spine X-ray
- Risser sign (bone maturity)
- MRI if atypical features
- Lung function tests before surgery
Outlook
Most teenagers with small curves never need surgery. After fusion surgery, most return to normal activities.
Planning treatment in India
- A scoliosis surgery trip lasts a few weeks including recovery; a parent travels with the child.
- Send standing full-spine X-rays.
- Plan school absence of several weeks.
- Follow-up X-rays continue at home.
Questions to ask your specialist
- What is the Cobb angle?
- How much growth remains?
- Is bracing right for my child?
- What correction can surgery achieve?
Related treatments
Other stages and types
Frequently asked questions
Can scoliosis be corrected without surgery?
Bracing can slow progression but rarely straightens a curve.
When is surgery recommended?
Usually for large curves that are likely to progress. Your surgeon explains thresholds.
Can my child play sport after surgery?
Most return to many sports after healing.
Medically reviewed by The Curaventa Team. Last updated 2026-10-24. General information, not medical advice. Medical editorial board · Editorial policy · How we get prices
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