There are many causes of scoliosis, including congenital spine deformities, genetic conditions, neuromuscular problems and limb length inequality. Other causes for scoliosis include cerebral palsy, spina bifida, muscular dystrophy, spinal muscular atrophy and tumors. Most idiopathic scoliosis cases are found in otherwise healthy people. People with a family history of spinal deformity are at greater risk for developing scoliosis.
Early detection is essential.
For more information on how to know if you or someone you know has scoliosis, see the diagnosis page. The normal human spine has four curves when viewed from the side. The cervical, thoracic, lumbar and sacral curves. There are no normal structural curves from side to side in the spine. Other common causes of scoliosis include congenital scoliosis, due to malformations of the vertebrae that occur during the pre-natal formation of the spine, neuromuscular scoliosis such as that associated with cerebral palsy, and other causes.