Symptoms
AIS is most often discovered during a routine physical exam. Pain is not typical in teens with AIS, but if it occurs, more investigation should be done. AIS symptoms include:
- One shoulder appears higher than the other
- Clothes do not hang straight
- Fatigue in the lower back after sitting or standing a long time
- Muscle aches in the back
These X-rays (at right) show the frontal and side view and the abnormal curvatures caused by scoliosis.
Causes and Risk Factors
Females are at higher risk than males. Six to eight out of every 10 cases involve girls. Two to three percent of children between the ages of 10 and 16 have detectable AIS.