Can Scoliosis Affect Lung Function? Scoliosis Breathing Issues?

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Lung concerns are a common topic among scoliosis patients, and it is a driving factor for surgeons to rely on when pushing for surgery.

Only when a curve is too big is lung function impacted, but the information around it, like when or how it begins, is unclear, and there is a lot of misinformation about it.

To better understand this, we must look at the primary causes or types of scoliosis:
Idiopathic scoliosis
Neuromuscular scoliosis
Congenital scoliosis

90% of all scoliosis cases are idiopathic, and basically, this means that the cause is unknown. Regardless of the cause, when scoliosis starts to progress is when things happen, such as the symptoms of impaired lung function. However, the symptoms will vary from patient to patient.

The most common symptom is a postural change, especially in children and adolescents. These include postural changes in the shoulders, rib cage deformity, asymmetry of the waist and hips, and a global balance pattern making the patients seem off-center. A follow-up X-Ray is often done to confirm the diagnosis when any of these are observed.

The main diagnosis drive in adults is when the patient says they are experiencing pain. In the case of adults, their curve progresses due to the compression of gravity over time in their scoliosis.

So, as scoliosis affects the curvature of the spine, it also affects all the structures attached to it physically, like the lungs. Scoliosis's asymmetrical force on the body and surrounding tissue can lead to a functional lung capacity problem. This also impacts rib shape, making the rib space different when referring to symmetry. One lung space can be more oval-shaped horizontally, and one can be more oval-shaped vertically. These different shapes can affect lung function.

It's important to note lung function impairment can happen independently of the size of the curve.

As curves grow, they become stiff. This is something we refer to as spinal rigidity. When this happens, the rib cage and lungs will not be able to expand as much, and the patient loses some capacity to breathe. This stiffness comes with bigger curves, and it might be one of the main aspects that impact lung function in scoliosis patients.

However, these lung symptoms are not a common finding for patients with scoliosis, and they are functional. If there is a deficiency, patients often do not notice it, and if they do is during extreme conditions like when they're exercising, especially someone that is a high-level athlete.

The only way to know how much a patient's lung function is affected is to test it. For example, spirometry is the most usual test to check for breathing capacity.

Two ways to help improve lung function when diagnosed with scoliosis are never letting your curve become large and working to reduce your curve size.

Every case is different, and prevention is key, so proactive treatment to keep your curve small will directly impact your lung function in the long run.

You can learn more about this topic here:
https://www.scoliosisreductioncenter....

Ready for a consultation or want more information? You can contact us here:
https://www.scoliosisreductioncenter....

00:00 - Can Scoliosis Affect Lung Function?
00:41 - Scoliosis Causes
02:19 - Most Common Symptoms
03:07 - Symptoms In Adults
04:00 - Functional Lung Capacity Problem
05:06 - Spinal Rigidity
05:52 - Functional Problems
06:50 - Lung Function Testing
07:24 - How Do We Help?
08:13 - Lung Function Pre and Post Surgery
08:40 - Final Recommendations

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