Scoliosis Explained: Different Types and Their Impacts

Today we’re looking at a case where the curve developed during adolescence, but over time the spine adapted and remodeled itself in response. ✨ Why it’s not congenital: Congenital scoliosis shows malformed vertebrae from birth, things like hemivertebrae, vertebral bars, or fused segments present from day one. Here, the vertebrae likely originally formed normally, ruling out a congenital cause. ✨ Why it’s not degenerative: Degenerative scoliosis begins in adulthood due to disc collapse, arthritis, and joint breakdown. In this spine, the arthritic changes and partial fusion likely aren’t the cause of the curve, they’re the result of long-term uneven loading. ✨ Idiopathic scoliosis, with adaptive changes: The original curvature likely appeared during growth, matching classic adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. Over years of altered biomechanics, the spine followed Wolff’s Law, bone strengthens and remodels along lines of stress, creating areas of arthritis, thickened bone, and even fusion where the body tried to stabilize the curve.