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Risk Factors for Scoliosis

A risk factor is something that raises your chance of getting a health problem.

You can get scoliosis with or without the risks listed here. But the more you have, the greater your chances of getting it.

Health Problems

A number of health problems raise the risk, such as:

Age

The adolescent form of scoliosis is the most common. It starts in children over the age of 10, and often lasts until growth stops.

Gender

Mild curves affect boys and girls equally, but girls are 10 times more likely to have curves that will need to be treated.

Genetics

You are more likely to have scoliosis if other members of your family have it.

REFERENCES:

Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at:https://www.dynamed.com/condition/adolescent-idiopathic-scoliosis. Updated June 1, 2019. Accessed July 24, 2019.

Congenital scoliosis and kyphosis. EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at:https://www.dynamed.com/condition/congenital-scoliosis-and-kyphosis. Updated January 19, 2016. Accessed July 24, 2019.

Idiopathic scoliosis in children and adolescents. Ortho Info—American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons website. Available at: https://orthoinfo.aaos.org/en/diseases--conditions/idiopathic-scoliosis-in-children-and-adolescents. Updated March 2015. Accessed July 24, 2019.

Infantile and juvenile idiopathic scoliosis. EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at:https://www.dynamed.com/condition/infantile-and-juvenile-idiopathic-scoliosis. Updated March 5, 2018. Accessed July 24, 2019.

Scoliosis in children and adolescents. National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases website. Available at: https://www.niams.nih.gov/health-topics/scoliosis. Updated December 30, 2015. Accessed July 24, 2019.

Last reviewed June 2019 by EBSCO Medical Review Board Daniel A. Ostrovsky, MD