Skip to main content
Log in

Should screening for scoliosis be conducted?

  • Original Article
  • Published:
ArgoSpine News & Journal

Abstract

This review provides an overview of the new evidence on the use of school screening for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS), in response to the concerns of the United States Preventive Services Task Force.

School scoliosis screening, if carefully designed and planned, can effectively detect AIS patients with significant curvature. A tandem use of screening methods in addition to the conventional forward bending test may improve screening effectiveness. School scoliosis screening continues to be an effective platform for early conservative treatment of AIS.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Karachalios T, Roidis N, Papagelopoulos PJ, et al. (2000) The efficacy of school screening for scoliosis. Orthopedics 23(4): 386–391.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Fong DY, Lee CF, Cheung KM, et al. (2010) A meta-analysis of the clinical effectiveness of school scoliosis screening. Spine 35(10): 1061–1071.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. USPSTF (1996) Guide to Clinical Preventive Services. 2nd ed, Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Washington, DC.

    Google Scholar 

  4. USPSTF (2004) Screening for idiopathic scoliosis in adolescents: recommendation statement, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD.

    Google Scholar 

  5. Richards BS, Vitale MG (2008) Screening for idiopathic scoliosis in adolescents. An information statement. J Bone Joint Surg Am 90(1): 195–198.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. SIGN (2008) SIGN 50: A guideline developer’s handbook, Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network, Edinburgh, UK.

    Google Scholar 

  7. Sabirin J, Bakri R, Buang SN, et al. (2010) School scoliosis screening programme-a systematic review. Med J Malaysia 65(4): 261–267.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Plaszewski M, Nowobilski R, Kowalski P, et al. (In Press) Screening for scoliosis: different countries’ perspectives and evidence-based health care. Int J Rehabil Res.

  9. Obremskey WT, Pappas N, Attallah-Wasif E, et al. (2005) Level of evidence in orthopaedic journals. J Bone Joint Surg Am 87(12): 2632–2638.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Luk KD, Lee CF, Cheung KM, et al. (2010) Clinical effectiveness of school screening for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis: a large population-based retrospective cohort study. Spine 35(17): 1607–1614.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Glascoe FP (2005) Standards for Screening Test Construction. American Academy of Pediatrics, http://www2.aap.org/sections/dbpeds/practice-screening.asp.

  12. Lee CF, Fong DY, Cheung KM, et al. (2010) Referral criteria for school scoliosis screening: assessment and recommendations based on a large longitudinally followed cohort. Spine 35(25): E1492–E1498.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Yawn BP, Yawn RA (2000) The estimated cost of school scoliosis screening. Spine 25(18): 2387–2391.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Additional information

Dr Daniel Y.T. Fong received his degrees of B.Sc. in Mathematics and MPhil in Statistics from The University of Hong Kong, and further obtained his Ph.D. in Statistics from the University of Waterloo, Canada. Dr Fong is an experienced biostatistician in health research. He focuses on the application of the best available methods to scientific research in health-related fields, and to develop novel methodologies that could improve the application. His main research themes are Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis and Patient Repor ted Outcomes, both require the use of proper and sometimes innovative statistical methods. Dr Fong is currently an Associate Professor at the School of Nursing of The University of Hong Kong had over 120 papers published or accepted in international peer-reviewed journals.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Fong, D.Y.T., Luk, K.D.K. Should screening for scoliosis be conducted?. ArgoSpine News J 24, 46–49 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12240-012-0040-3

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12240-012-0040-3

Keywords

Navigation