Hi there! If you're here I want to kindly inform you that if you wish to reply to this forum thread, do not. I know it appears mean and selfish but I like my forums clean and neat. Thank you in advance and have a lovely day.

Background Information

A spine is supposed to grow straight. When the spine grows straight, it has the ability to fully support the weight of the body and make sure that the body is standing upright and not leaning over. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, "he spine is designed to protect your spinal cord" ( umms.org , 05 / 21 / 26 ). The spinal cord is a vital part of one's body. It sends neurological signals to the rest of the body, which allows for the body to move and act as the brain wants it to.

A healthy spine looks like an s - shape from the side, which helps to protect damage and absorb shock that would otherwise damage the spinal cord. When a spine is damaged or misshapen, it can severely compromise the spinal cord and more. That is why taking care of your spine is so important, but not everything can be controlled like this.

What is Scoliosis?

Scoliosis is a spinal cord disorder in which the spine curves an unnatural way side to side. This can be mild or intense depending on how bad the scoliosis is, but generally it is mild. Despite this, scoliosis is “ rare, ” only prevalent in about 2% of all people, which is still intense, considering the fact that it affects over six million people in the United States alone.

Mild scoliosis generally isn't noticeable and doesn't need treatment. This kind of scoliosis isn't too concerning and generally doesn't need any special medical attention. The other kinds of scoliosis are idiopathic scoliosis, ( which is hereditary ) congenital scoliosis, ( which is caused when the embryo doesn't develop correctly ) and neuromuscular scoliosis ( which is when the muscles and nerves around the spine don't work correctly. )

How does Scoliosis Affect Someone?

Scoliosis is slightly different for everyone, and most people don't get symptoms of scoliosis at all, though it has some symptoms that are shown across most people with scoliosis are back pain, difficulty standing upright, and leg pain. And contrary to popular belief, a sign is different from an effect. These effects can range, but generally include " uneven shoulders, shoulder blades that stick out, uneven waist, elevated hips, constant leaning to one side, and uneven leg length " ( my.clevelandclinic.org , 05 / 21 / 26 ).

According to studies, scoliosis affects different parts of the body for different people. For adolescents ( kids and teenagers ) it affects their upper spine, which can be considered to be the rib cage area by some. For adults ( anyone - I would consider - over the age of twenty two ) it affects the lower back which some might say is the lumbar region of the spine. As well as this, women are at a higher risk level because for some reason, scoliosis affects more women than men. As well as this, physically, scoliosis can lead to physical deformities, organ and / or nerve damage, and in some cases, difficulty whilst breathing.

How does Scoliosis Affect Afterglow?

Afterglow has congenital scoliosis, which means that she didn't develop properly during the embryo stage. This also means that her spine deformity will present itself from an early age. Afterglow specifically has a combination scoliosis, which is when the vertebrae didn't form correctly and some parts are fused together while others are malformed. This is generally considered to be the most intense and difficult to deal with form of scoliosis and will affect Afterglow in many ways.

Signs of congenital scoliosis can present themselves quite early on, and some of the symptoms can be slanted shoulders, an uneven rib cage, tilted hips, muscle weakness, and difficulty walking. For Afterglow, she will have muscle weakness and a rib cage that peeks out on one side, making it appear uneven. Due to this, she will have trouble hunting and / or running for long periods of time and will have difficulty breathing, often gasping for air at times.

In fact, most children diagnosed with congenital scoliosis struggle with self esteem, often loosing confidence and straying away from things they enjoy. In Afterglow's case, she will not be able to go hunting birds and will stick to catching fish and swimming. Because there isn't any high tech treatment method in the warrior cats, afterglow will have to swim often, stretch, and improve her posture on her own.

Sources and Citations

Cleveland Clinic ( 05 / 21 / 26 )
– the spine's functions
University of Maryland Medical Center ( 05 / 21 / 26 )
– uses of the spine
Mayo Clinic ( 05 / 21 / 26 )
– general scoliosis research
Cleveland Clinic ( 05 / 21 / 26 )
– general scoliosis research
Cleveland Clinic ( 05 / 21 / 26 )
– congenital scoliosis