spine, curvature of the

spine, curvature of the

      any of a group of deviations of the normal spinal curvature, including scoliosis, lordosis, and kyphosis.

      Scoliosis is a lateral, or sideways, deviation of the spine, or vertebral column. The condition usually includes two curves—the original abnormal curve and a later-developing compensatory curve. Possible causes of scoliosis include asymmetrical development of back, chest, or abdominal musculature, as may occur in poliomyelitis (polio) or cerebral palsy; significant difference in the lengths of the legs; or malformation or disease of the vertebral column and associated structures, as in spondylitis, spina bifida, fracture, dislocation, hemivertebrae, or rickets. Treatment, which depends on the cause, usually includes orthopedic surgery, the use of traction, the wearing of body or neck braces, and exercises.

      Lordosis, or swayback, is an increased curvature in the lumbar (middle-to-lower) region of the vertebral column, and it may be associated with spondylolisthesis, inflammation of the intervertebral disk, or obesity. Kyphosis, commonly called roundback, humpback, or hunchback, is an increased curvature of the thoracic (upper) vertebral column; it may be caused by congenital malformation of the vertebral column, by the development of wedge-shaped vertebrae during adolescence (Scheuermann disease), or by other conditions such as osteoporosis or tuberculous spondylitis (Pott disease).

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • Curvature of the spine — Curvature Cur va*ture (k?r v? t?r; 135), n. [L. curvatura. See {Curvate}.] 1. The act of curving, or the state of being bent or curved; a curving or bending, normal or abnormal, as of a line or surface from a rectilinear direction; a bend; a… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • curvature of the spine — stuburo iškrypimai statusas T sritis Kūno kultūra ir sportas apibrėžtis Normalios stuburo formos pokyčiai. Stuburas gali iškrypti dėl slankstelių sklaidos trūkumų, įgimto raumenų silpnumo, netaisyklingos laikysenos. atitikmenys: angl. curvature… …   Sporto terminų žodynas

  • spine — noun 1 backbone ADJECTIVE ▪ fractured ▪ cervical, lumbar VERB + SPINE ▪ bend, curve ▪ straighten …   Collocations dictionary

  • curvature of the spine — noun See scoliosis …  

  • Curvature — Cur va*ture (k?r v? t?r; 135), n. [L. curvatura. See {Curvate}.] 1. The act of curving, or the state of being bent or curved; a curving or bending, normal or abnormal, as of a line or surface from a rectilinear direction; a bend; a curve. Cowper …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • curvature — [kʉr′və chər] n. [ME < L curvatura < curvare: see CURVE] 1. a curving or being curved 2. a curve; curved part of anything 3. Geom. the rate of deviation of a curve or curved surface from a straight line or plane surface tangent to it 4. Med …   English World dictionary

  • curvature — /kerr veuh cheuhr, choor /, n. 1. the act of curving or the state of being curved. 2. a curved condition, often abnormal: curvature of the spine. 3. the degree of curving of a line or surface. 4. Geom. a. (at a point on a curve) the derivative of …   Universalium

  • curvature — cur|va|ture [ˈkə:vətʃə US ˈkə:rvətʃər] n [U and C] technical [Date: 1400 1500; : Latin; Origin: curvatura, from curvare; CURVE2] the state of being curved, or the degree to which something is curved curvature of ▪ the curvature of the Earth s… …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • curvature — [[t]kɜ͟ː(r)vətʃə(r)[/t]] N UNCOUNT: oft N of n The curvature of something is its curved shape, especially when this shape is part of the circumference of a circle. [TECHNICAL] ...the curvature of the earth... He suffered from curvature of the… …   English dictionary

  • curvature — noun (C, U) technical 1 the state of being curved, or the degree to which something is curved: the curvature of the Earth s surface 2 a medical condition in which part of someone s body curves in a way that is not natural: curvature of the spine …   Longman dictionary of contemporary English

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