blondeviolin Posted September 5, 2018 Share Posted September 5, 2018 It runs in my family. I took my son in for a limp and the doctor noted that one leg felt longer than the other. His shoulders also appear uneven. They sent him for an x-ray and we are waiting on results. The tech let him see the films and it did not look like he had a spine curvature. Is that something a lay person would see on an X-ray? When I google it, even the "slight" X-rays seems obvious there's a curve. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dirty ethel rackham Posted September 5, 2018 Share Posted September 5, 2018 It may depend on the type of curve and the x-ray view. Sometimes the curve may not be so much in one plane, but there may be some subtle twisting of the spine that can cause that unevenness. Her curve (28%) was visible with a front x-ray, but not with a side x-ray. A friend's curve didn't seem that bad until they looked at it from an angle not normally done with an x-ray (usually frontal or side view.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hippiemamato3 Posted September 5, 2018 Share Posted September 5, 2018 I have a small degree of scoliosis, but one shoulder is clearly higher than the other when I'm standing "straight." I don't know that a lay person would be able to see it on an xray. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
displace Posted September 5, 2018 Share Posted September 5, 2018 (edited) As long as they took “scoliosis” X-rays, even small degrees of curvature are measurable. There doesn’t tend to be treatment offered until a certain angle of curve. A surgeon is the consulting doctor if a back brace is recommended, or surgery, or nothing. Also, a tape measure can be used to actually measure leg length vs a feeling. Shoulder height can be marked and measured as well, or at least compared when upright. And an easy lean-over-test will show uneven shoulders (maybe that’s what you meant?). Just the lean over test, if positive, is a sign of scoliosis, but an X-ray determines if treatment is necessary, afaik. Edited September 5, 2018 by displace Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blondeviolin Posted September 5, 2018 Author Share Posted September 5, 2018 (edited) They didn't measure. Just laid him down and felt based on (what looked like) his ankles. The first to flag it was a med student who was with the doc. It could have been an astute student or it it could have been easily noticeable. I measured with a measuring tape and I did find a discrepancy. The shoulder was visible with him standing straight and they did the lean over test thing, but they've done this at well visits without flagging... His X-ray just threw me. His spine looked pretty dang straight. They did a "scoli study" and a hip series. Hopefully I get the results soon. Regardless, knowing these are military docs and the mil system, it sounds like I should request he see an ortho doc. Edited September 5, 2018 by blondeviolin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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