Our spine is an engineering marvel that supports our weight and ties our body together. The spinal column consists of a stack of small bones that range in size from 2-3 inches to 5-6 inches in diameter. When viewed from the front, the spine appears to be straight, but when looked at from the side, the normal spine has two gentle S-curves.
Scoliosis is an abnormal curvature of the spine. In scoliosis, the spine curves to the side when viewed from the front, and each vertebra also twists on the next one in a corkscrew fashion.
Scoliosis affects girls twice as often as it affects boys. About three to five of 1,000 people are affected. Scoliosis usually occurs in those older than 10 years, but the condition can be seen in infants.
Puberty Overview
Adolescence is characterized by profound changes in several areas. The maturation of intellectual thought, substantial psychosocial development, and a series of physical changes that reflect neurological and endocrinological processes are intertwined in the process summarized as puberty.
The cognitive changes that become obvious during puberty continue on into young adulthood. Observations by specialists point out that the acquisition of operational thought (ability to think abstractly) is able to be correlated to physical changes in the prefrontal cortex of the brain -- that region in the front of the brain responsible for judgment, impulse control, delayed gratification, and interpretation of subtle visual facial signals necessary for mature social interaction.
The most obvious physical changes during puberty reflect the influence of powerful hormones. The attainment of adult secondary sexual characteristi...
Source: www.emedicinehealth.com
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