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  • Curve progression

    I was just wondering, does anyone know how much curves are likely to progress over the years? I have heard 1 degree per year is common in adults, but I have also heard that however the curve has progressed in the past (after adolescent growth is complete) is usually how fast it will continue to grow. I am curious because if my curve gets worse at 1 degree per year, then in 10 years I would have a 65 degree curve. But, it has gone from 29 degrees to 55 degrees in less than 5 years, all after my growth was finished. If it gets worse at 5 degrees per year, in ten years I'll have a 100+ degree curve. Is that really possible? I'll only be 30 years old in 10 years! Could I at some end up so curved that I could be unable to walk? I am just curious as to what would happen (based on statistical likelihood) if I just ignored it (which I am not planning to do!)

    Kathryn

  • #2
    Everyone's rate of progression is different - but -- ON AVERAGE, progression tends to speed up after 50 degrees because the back begins to lose its ability to compensate for the curve.
    Chris
    A/P fusion on June 19, 2007 at age 52; T10-L5
    Pre-op thoracolumbar curve: 70 degrees
    Post-op curve: 12 degrees
    Dr. Boachie-adjei, HSS, New York

    Comment


    • #3
      My curves were first diagnosed at age 12-38 thoracic, 34 lumbar. Wore Boston brace for most of my teenage years, so at age 18 they were-60 thoracic, mid 20's lumbar. Got measured three times in three hospitals in the next 8 years and they stayed the same, actually the lumbar even decreased a bit more. So it's different for everybody, but it's good to get it checked regularly.
      35 y/old female from Montreal, Canada
      Diagnosed with scoliosis(double major) at age 12, wore Boston brace 4 years at least 23 hours a day-curve progressed
      Surgery age 26 for 60 degree curve in Oct. 1997 by Dr.Max Aebi-fused T5 to L2
      Surgery age 28 for a hook removal in Feb. 1999 by Dr.Max Aebi-pain free for 5 years
      Surgery age 34 in Dec.2005 for broken rod replacement, bigger screws and crosslinks added and pseudarthrosis(non union) by Dr. Jean Ouellet

      Comment


      • #4
        Hi Kathryn...

        There's no way to know for sure, but it's unlikely that your curve will progress at more than 1-2 degrees a year. You should ask your scoliosis specialist to be sure, but the more rapid increase was probably due to having some growth left (despite the fact that you appeared to be skeletally mature).

        Regards,
        Linda
        Never argue with an idiot. They always drag you down to their level, and then they beat you with experience. --Twain
        ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
        Surgery 2/10/93 A/P fusion T4-L3
        Surgery 1/20/11 A/P fusion L2-sacrum w/pelvic fixation

        Comment


        • #5
          Wakatie, once curves go past 50 degrees doctors usually start to consider surgery. As you know your degree of curvature I guess you are seeing a specialist. Maybe they advised you to have surgery. If you are not seeing a specialist at the moment I think you should arrange to see one. I don't think you have to worry much about getting a 100 degree curve. It usually only gets that bad in the early onset types of scoliosis from what I understand. the main thing is to find a doctor you trust and listen carefully to their advice.
          Last edited by Silverfox; 07-27-2006, 01:55 PM.

          Comment


          • #6
            Originally posted by Silverfox
            Wakatie, once curves go past 50 degrees doctors usually start to consider surgery. As you know your degree of curvature I guess you are seeing a specialist. Maybe they advised you to have surgery. If you are not seeing a specialist at the moment I think you should arrange to see one. I don't think you have to worry much about getting a 100 degree curve. It usually only gets that bad in the early onset types of scoliosis from what I understand. the main thing is to find a doctor you trust and listen carefully to their advice.
            I agree with Silverfox. Once your curves are around the 50 degree mark there most likely to progress over the years. Take me for example i was diagnosed at 14 yrs old with a 50 degree upper and around a 50 degree lower curves. I was told to come back when i was 18 yrs old to see how everything is, silly me just ignored it and now at 21 yrs old just went to the specialist today and found out my upper curve has progressed to around 60 degrees but my bottom hasn't moved at all. So that means it progressed 1 - 2 degree a year. Now im having surgery. Never rule out that your curve won't progress just because you've stopped growing, remember gravity can cause progression.
            Had surgery May 28th 2007 Anterior/Posterior getting fused from T3 - L3

            http://curvedgirl.blogspot.com

            Comment


            • #7
              I agree with Silverfox. Once your curves are around the 50 degree mark there most likely to progress over the years. Take me for example i was diagnosed at 14 yrs old with a 50 degree upper and around a 50 degree lower curves. I was told to come back when i was 18 yrs old to see how everything is, silly me just ignored it and now at 21 yrs old just went to the specialist today and found out my upper curve has progressed to around 60 degrees but my bottom hasn't moved at all. So that means it progressed 1 - 2 degree a year. Now im having surgery. Never rule out that your curve won't progress just because you've stopped growing, remember gravity can cause progression.
              Had surgery May 28th 2007 Anterior/Posterior getting fused from T3 - L3

              http://curvedgirl.blogspot.com

              Comment


              • #8
                I completely understand your concern. At age 16 my curve was 18 degrees and my doctor thought it would stay put. I started having a lot of pain when I was 20 so I had some xrays done and my curve was 33 degrees. Now I'm 24 and my curve is 44 degrees. I'm progressing around 3 degrees per year. My doctor thinks I'll need surgery but wants to wait to see if I keep on progressing. I'm just going to keep getting checked every year (and somehow try to deal with the pain in the meantime).

                Good luck!
                Chemist, 30

                1998- 18 degrees
                2003- 33 degrees
                2005- 37 degrees
                2006- 44 degrees
                May 2007- 47 degrees
                December 2007 - 50 degrees X-ray

                Surgery May 27, 2008
                Fused T1 to L2
                Curve corrected to 15 degrees X-ray

                Comment


                • #9
                  Originally posted by briarrose
                  I completely understand your concern. At age 16 my curve was 18 degrees and my doctor thought it would stay put. I started having a lot of pain when I was 20 so I had some xrays done and my curve was 33 degrees. Now I'm 24 and my curve is 44 degrees. I'm progressing around 3 degrees per year. My doctor thinks I'll need surgery but wants to wait to see if I keep on progressing. I'm just going to keep getting checked every year (and somehow try to deal with the pain in the meantime).

                  Good luck!
                  Sometimes pain can actually cause the spine to curve. I wonder if that's what's happening in your case.

                  --Linda
                  Never argue with an idiot. They always drag you down to their level, and then they beat you with experience. --Twain
                  ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                  Surgery 2/10/93 A/P fusion T4-L3
                  Surgery 1/20/11 A/P fusion L2-sacrum w/pelvic fixation

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Originally posted by LindaRacine
                    Sometimes pain can actually cause the spine to curve. I wonder if that's what's happening in your case.

                    --Linda
                    I've never heard that before. How does this happen?

                    Thanks for your reply
                    Chemist, 30

                    1998- 18 degrees
                    2003- 33 degrees
                    2005- 37 degrees
                    2006- 44 degrees
                    May 2007- 47 degrees
                    December 2007 - 50 degrees X-ray

                    Surgery May 27, 2008
                    Fused T1 to L2
                    Curve corrected to 15 degrees X-ray

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Curve CAN still reach 100*

                      Wakatie,

                      I just wanted to throw in a thought here also. Just strictly from my own experiene. My main curve progressed about 12* over the course of 20 years so I thought I was in the clear...figured I could avoid surgery no problem at that rate. This year when I went to get checked I found out that although the main curve in my thoracic spine was progressing very slowly...I have a compensatory curve in my Lumbar spine that got 10* worse over the years. This curve is causing my lower back pain and has also made my body VERY noticibly decompensated to the right side. MY doctor told me that the curve can indeed progress to 100* even later in life, it wouldn't happen over night but it can happen...and by then I would be way too old for surgery. There is no magic age where it just stops getting worse because you've reached a certain degree or age. You also need to factor in other changes like the degree of your rotation and how flexible your spine is...I thought just because my numbers on the xrays weren't changing drastically that I was in the clear. Even if the curve doesn't get worse, the rotation can and your spine can become more rigid. I was told by 2 doctors that if I get my surgery now he could do it posterior only and if I wait much longer, he said he would have to do the anterior release also.

                      When I joined this forum I was dead against surgery and was looking for others who didn't/wouldn't have surgery but after reading everything here and reading up on some books and other info I've come across, I've decided to have the surgery now. I will be 38 in the fall and had a 50* curve at the age of 18 and was told back then to have surgery but I refused. My appointment is Aug. 30th with my surgeon. I want scheduled for surgery as soon as he can fit me in.
                      43 y.o. married w/a 12 and 14 y.o
                      62 degree curve T7 - L2 that is now being measured at 54 degrees?????
                      Never had surgery/Thinking about it and gathering all the info I can!

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Originally posted by lostfan
                        Wakatie,

                        I just wanted to throw in a thought here also. Just strictly from my own experiene. My main curve progressed about 12* over the course of 20 years so I thought I was in the clear...figured I could avoid surgery no problem at that rate. This year when I went to get checked I found out that although the main curve in my thoracic spine was progressing very slowly...I have a compensatory curve in my Lumbar spine that got 10* worse over the years. This curve is causing my lower back pain and has also made my body VERY noticibly decompensated to the right side. MY doctor told me that the curve can indeed progress to 100* even later in life, it wouldn't happen over night but it can happen...and by then I would be way too old for surgery. There is no magic age where it just stops getting worse because you've reached a certain degree or age. You also need to factor in other changes like the degree of your rotation and how flexible your spine is...I thought just because my numbers on the xrays weren't changing drastically that I was in the clear. Even if the curve doesn't get worse, the rotation can and your spine can become more rigid. I was told by 2 doctors that if I get my surgery now he could do it posterior only and if I wait much longer, he said he would have to do the anterior release also.

                        When I joined this forum I was dead against surgery and was looking for others who didn't/wouldn't have surgery but after reading everything here and reading up on some books and other info I've come across, I've decided to have the surgery now. I will be 38 in the fall and had a 50* curve at the age of 18 and was told back then to have surgery but I refused. My appointment is Aug. 30th with my surgeon. I want scheduled for surgery as soon as he can fit me in.
                        I think you have taken a right and very smart way about it, by gathering info and also waiting to have surgery until you were ready, since you're still young and especially if your doctor told you you don't have to have anterior as well and are still flexible, it's a plus. I also waited some years and didn't have surgery at 18, like they wanted me to. I never have second guesses about that(on the contrary, I was pain free and highly flexible then), b/c I know how a fusion puts added presure on disks and if you would have had it then, maybe you would have problems in those unfused vertebreas now. Also, surgical techniques evolve every year and they also change the hardware they use(like the Harrington rods who are replaced now).

                        Good luck to you, wish you the best.
                        35 y/old female from Montreal, Canada
                        Diagnosed with scoliosis(double major) at age 12, wore Boston brace 4 years at least 23 hours a day-curve progressed
                        Surgery age 26 for 60 degree curve in Oct. 1997 by Dr.Max Aebi-fused T5 to L2
                        Surgery age 28 for a hook removal in Feb. 1999 by Dr.Max Aebi-pain free for 5 years
                        Surgery age 34 in Dec.2005 for broken rod replacement, bigger screws and crosslinks added and pseudarthrosis(non union) by Dr. Jean Ouellet

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Originally posted by briarrose
                          I've never heard that before. How does this happen?

                          Thanks for your reply
                          Sometimes, one will change their posture as a reaction to pain, and doing so causes the spine to curve. In that case, the curve(s) would be non-structural.

                          --Linda
                          Never argue with an idiot. They always drag you down to their level, and then they beat you with experience. --Twain
                          ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                          Surgery 2/10/93 A/P fusion T4-L3
                          Surgery 1/20/11 A/P fusion L2-sacrum w/pelvic fixation

                          Comment

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