Understanding Adult Scoliosis - Two Distinct Conditions
Adult scoliosis is not a single condition - it presents in two fundamentally different ways, and understanding which type you have is the starting point for effective treatment.
Adolescent Scoliosis That Has Progressed Into Adulthood
Many adults living with scoliosis were diagnosed as children or teenagers - often told the curve was mild, unlikely to worsen, and that no treatment was needed. For decades, many of these patients are proved right: the curve remains relatively stable through their 20s and 30s. Then, in their 40s and 50s, the back pain that was always there intensifies. Posture shifts.
What is happening is well understood clinically: the disc and facet joint degeneration that occurs in every ageing spine occurs asymmetrically in a scoliotic spine. On the concave side of the curve, degeneration is accelerated by the increased compressive load.
De Novo Degenerative Scoliosis - New Adult-Onset
The second adult scoliosis population has no prior history of the condition. De novo degenerative scoliosis is a lateral spinal curve that develops for the first time in adulthood - typically from the 40s onward - as a consequence of asymmetric disc and facet joint degeneration. The mechanism is entirely different from adolescent idiopathic scoliosis - it is driven by the ageing process rather than a growth abnormality.
An honest note regarding surgery:
If your scoliosis has reached the point where neurological compromise is present - leg weakness, bladder or bowel changes, significant numbness - surgical assessment is appropriate and Dr. Chiwona will refer you accordingly. Conservative care has real limits, and operating within those limits is what makes it trustworthy.
Treatment Options for Adults at NZ Scoliosis Clinic
The three treatment methods used at NZ Scoliosis Clinic are internationally accredited and scoliosis-specific. For most adult patients, SEAS rehabilitation is the primary treatment.
SEAS Rehabilitation - Primary Adult Treatment
If you have tried physiotherapy for scoliosis and found it temporarily helpful or not helpful at all, this is likely because standard physiotherapy treats the symptoms of back pain rather than the scoliosis-specific structural and neuromuscular causes of your pain. SEAS works differently. Each programme is built around the specific pattern of your curve, using active self-correction movements.
ScoliBrace for Adults
ScoliBrace is often thought of as a treatment for teenagers - but adult patients are genuine candidates for custom 3D corrective bracing. For adults, ScoliBrace focuses on structural support, postural assistance, and pain relief rather than active correction.
What to Expect at Your Adult Scoliosis Assessment
Your initial assessment is a comprehensive 60–90 minute appointment designed to give you a complete clinical picture of your scoliosis - the current state of your curve, the likely structural causes of your pain, and a clear, honest recommendation.
- Case history: Thorough discussion of your scoliosis history and pain levels.
- Clinical examination: Full postural assessment, spinal range of motion, muscle strength, and neurological screening.
- Weight-bearing upright X-ray: For adult scoliosis, upright weight-bearing X-ray imaging is clinically essential. Sitting or lying X-rays significantly underestimate adult scoliosis curve severity.
Take Control of Your Scoliosis
You will leave your first appointment with a clear picture of your options and an honest recommendation - including if surgery is the right choice for your case.
Book an Adult Assessment in Auckland