Scoliosis in Females vs. Males

Why is scoliosis more common in females than males?

Did you know that females are 10 times more likely to develop scoliosis than males?  

That’s a heck of a lot!  Not only are girls more likely to develop scoliosis, but they are also more likely to develop severe curves from the disorder as well.

When a girl receives a diagnosis of scoliosis, the chance of her curve worsening is up to eight times more likely than in a boy of similar age.  A study by a group of doctors at Indiana University revealed that 10 percent of women in the US have scoliosis and 5 percent of males have scoliosis.

Unfortunately, there’s no super solid reason scientists have pin-pointed as to why scoliosis develops in some people and not others.  There are lots of theories, but that’s just what they are, theories.

1.  Family History:  Factors such as family history do predispose someone to developing scoliosis.  If you are a female and your grandmother and mother have scoliosis, you are much more likely to have scoliosis as well.

2.  Growth Spurt:  A major growth spurt that happens before puberty may be related to scoliosis.  Girls who are taller than their peers also have increased risk to scoliosis.

3. Hormones:  Leptin is a master hormone that is related to regulation of growth and reproduction, one of which is to suppress appetite by telling a person when they are full and it’s time to stop eating.  

4. Low Body Mass Index:  Low BMI has been connected to the development of scoliosis in females

5. Increased Sympathetic Nervous System (SNS) activity:  This contributes to scoliosis development in the following ways:

   1. Early development

   2. Increased height

   3. Increased skeletal growth speed

   4. Reaching skeletal maturity faster

   5. Skeletal length imbalances

   6. Lower BMI 

It’s pretty interesting to know all of the theories, but what does it matter?  As a mama with scoliosis, be on the look-out for these things in your child.  The earlier you find scoliosis, the more easily you can treat it and reverse the curve/prevent progression.

Hit me with any questions you have regarding scoliosis😊