height question

[Link]

just a small q, will scoliosis be worse on people with small spines (short ppl) or ppl that have bigger spines (taller).

[LindaRacine]

Hi Link...

My surgeon told me that the "average" patient is tall and thin, however I don't have a clue where he got that information. I can tell you that we'd all be a lot taller if our spines weren't curved.

Regards,
Linda

[swtpopcorn]

I'm not sure if this helps, but my daughter is in the 50th percentile for height and weight at 16 yrs old. Looking over records at the dr. office today we noticed that she actually is 1" shorter than exactly a year ago. Her curves increased about 8º during the same time period. She is currently at about 52º, and is sched. for surgery in about 2 wks.

[susannajon]

Hi Link,

My daughter, whose curve was just corrected a couple of months ago, is tiny. She was 5' tall before surgery, and after surgery is 5' 3", so she was definitely not tall, although she is very petite, about 103 lbs.

She is not what I would call very thin. She is proportioned for her height, I guess.

[Link]

oh well i just wanted to know because im a pretty short guy about 5-5 or less

[MySonMyHeart]

height question

I had asked my sons doctor the same question..if scoliosis is more common in tall people than in short people, and he said that its seen more often in long leggy and long armed people. My son is 13 and 5'9" tall, he does have long legs and arms, but then agian my mother in law his grandmother, also has scoliosis and shes barely 5 feet and short legged. I think genetics plays a bigger part in this.

[flowerpower]

I am not tall (used to measure 5'3", currently measure 5'1") but I am high-waisted, does this make my legs "longer" (I have always felt so). My son also has a high waist. He is tall and thin, long legs, arms, fingers, feet.

[Mary Lou]

My daughter had surgery six months ago and only gain 1/2 inch in height after the surgery-she was hoping for three inches. She is only 4' 10" tall and weighs about 86 pounds.

Mary Lou

[Teleah]

im only 5 foot excactly but im sure i have shrunk and my back seems to be getting worse to me i think it does effect your heignt as it curves your back to lean over.

[AuraFlarez]

When I was diagnosed, I was um.. 5'4". 8 months later, my curve got 5 degrees worse, and I'm pushing 5"6'..

[Joe's Mom]

I think the "long legs/long arms" are there because the torso is shortened by the curve . . .in that regard, the arms and legs are probably the "right" length but they appear to be disporportionately longer as the torso is disporportionately shorter due to the curve of the spine. Most people I have heard report back after surgery are about 3-4 inches taller than before surgery. When they get taller as the spine is straightened, I'll bet their arms and legs don't seem so "long" anymore. Just my observation.

[susannajon]

My daughter was supposed to be 5'5" according to her pediatrician.. "pre-scoliosis" but she ended up 5'1/2" before suregery, and post surgery she's 5'3", so I guess without a doubt, the kid with scoli may end up a few inches shorter than they might have been if they had a normal spine!

Susanna