Scoliosis in a Nineteen Years Old Male: Prevalence Study

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the prevalence and the epidemiological findings of scoliosis in 19-year-old Korean males. METHODS: We applied chest radiographs for scoliosis screening from the examinations for conscription at Regional Military Manpower Administration in Seoul, Korea, from April 2009 to December 2009. A total 28,779 males, aged 19 years, were screened for scoliosis. Additional thoraco-lumbar radiographs were obtained for every examinee identified with scoliosis of more than 20 degrees using Cobb's angle. RESULTS: The prevalence of scoliosis of more than 10 degrees of Cobb's angle was 5.3%(1532 of 28,779 males). The most common category for these 19-year-old males was scoliosis of 10 to 19 degrees. The most common pattern of scoliosis was thoracic (57.6%), followed by thoracolumbar (32.1%), lumbar (7.0%), and double major curves (3.3%) scoliosis. CONCLUSIONS: Among 28,779 19-year-old Korean males, the prevalence of scoliosis of more than 10 degrees Cobb angle was 5.3%, and thoracic scoliosis was the most common.