Re: Scoliosis is Rhythmic Gymnasts

[Guest guest]

Wow, !

You are like a scoliosis library. Thanks for sending this and for

your quick response. Any ideas on how I can research this further?

My daughter is 7 and I just spent 250.00 on the level 4 gymnastics

team uniform, Ha!

Anyway, really not a laughing matter to me, when I see this report.

She loves it but I feel like I could sway her into dance and/or

cheerleading and away from rhythmic gymnastics if I had more to help

me make that decision. She is very thin and eats horribly (reflux,

ezcema, picky), so it really concerns me!!!!

Thanks again,

P.S. Is that a pub-med abstract? I'm able to get those through our

law office, but if not I'm clueless....

data.

> Here's the abstract of the study that addressed the issue of

scoliosis

> in rhythmic gymnasts:

>

> Spine. 2000 Jun 1;25(11):1367-72. Related Articles, Links

>

> Scoliosis in rhythmic gymnasts.

>

> Tanchev PI, Dzherov AD, Parushev AD, Dikov DM, Todorov MB.

>

> Gorna Bania University Hospital of Orthopaedics, Spine Surgery

> Department, Sofia, Bulgaria.

>

> STUDY DESIGN: An anamnestic, clinical, radiographic study of

100

> girls actively engaged in rhythmic gymnastics was performed in an

> attempt to explain the higher incidence and the specific features

of

> scoliosis in rhythmic gymnastic trainees. OBJECTIVES: To analyze

the

> anthropometry, the regimen of motion and dieting, the specificity

of

> training in rhythmic gymnastics, and the growth and maturing of the

> trainees, and to outline the characteristics of the scoliotic

curves

> observed. An etiologic hypothesis for this specific subgroup of

> scoliosis is proposed. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: The etiology of

> scoliosis remains unknown in most cases despite extensive

research. In

> the current classifications, no separate type of sports-associated

> scoliosis is suggested. METHODS: The examinations included

anamnesis,

> weight and height measurements, growth and maturing data, eating

> regimen, general and back status, duration, intensity, and specific

> elements of rhythmic gymnastic training. Radiographs were taken in

all

> the patients with suspected scoliosis. The results obtained were

> compared with the parameters of normal girls not involved in

sports.

> RESULTS: A 10-fold higher incidence of scoliosis was found in

rhythmic

> gymnastic trainees (12%) than in their normal coevals (1.1%).

Delay in

> menarche and generalized joint laxity are common in rhythmic

gymnastic

> trainees. The authors observed a significant physical loading with

the

> persistently repeated asymmetric stress on the growing spine

> associated with the nature of rhythmic gymnastics. Some specific

> features of scoliosis related to rhythmic gymnastics were found

also.

> CONCLUSIONS: This study identified a separate scoliotic entity

> associated with rhythmic gymnastics. The results strongly suggest

the

> important etiologic role of a " dangerous triad " : generalized joint

> laxity, delayed maturity, and asymmetric spinal loading.

[Guest guest]

Hi ...

Yes, the abstract is from PubMed. If you work in a law office, than

they probably have full access, so you could get the complete article.

You should always look at these in context. Yes, rhythmic gymnasts

have a 10-fold increase in scoliosis, but scoliosis was still only

seen in about 12% of all the girls. And, you should check the full

text to see how many of that 12% actually needed treatment (since the

majority of kids with scoliosis have small curves that never require

any treatment). I hope you'll let me know what you find.

Regards,