Scoliosis and kyphosis in adolescents: diagnosis and management.

Scoliosis and kyphosis are spinal deformities that are commonly detected in the adolescent years. Scoliosis has many etiologies but is usually idiopathic. The natural history concerns pulmonary restriction, back pain, and self-image. Young children with large curves are at the greatest risk for progression. Treatment includes observation, bracing, or surgery. Kyphosis is a pathologic increase in sagittal curves of the spine. Scheuermann kyphosis is a distinct category of deformity that is diagnosed on the basis of the radiographic criteria of 3 adjacent vertebral levels with 5 degrees of wedging. The deformity is the main concern for teenage patients and their families, whereas pain is the main complaint in adults.