About the webinar

Scoliosis is often defined as a deformity of the spine in the frontal, or coronal plane, but it actually consists of a rather complex, three-dimensional (3D) deformity of the spine and rib cage, that can easily lead to pain, lowered self-image and compromised pulmonary function in its more severe forms. It carries a high burden of disease because of its life-long course and tendency to progress over time, and treatment is both demanding on the patient, as well as costly for society. Although, mostly because of radiographs, its definition is based on the coronal plane, the sagittal plane has been recognized as a very important part of the overall deformity for over a century, thanks to accurate observations of anatomists like Nicoladoni and others, already in the nineteenth century. More recently, classifications of scoliosis based on the changes in the sagittal plane have been proposed.

The human spine has a unique S-shaped sagittal profile, with a lordosis that already starts in the human pelvis and continues into the lumbar spine. That, and man’s ability to simultaneously extend hips and knees, brings the human center of gravity more dorsal than in any other species, quadrupedal and bipedal alike.