Does Bad Posture Cause Scoliosis? Last reviewed on January 13,
2011 By Robert H. Shmerling, M.D. Recently, my daughter went to
school wearing a bathing suit under her clothes. Naturally, I
wondered why! She told me she was being screened for scoliosis.
She asked me if it was true, as a friend had told her, that bad
posture could cause scoliosis or a permanent stoop. I have heard
that one before and have even seen it on television shows: "Sit
up straight, dear, or you'll end up hunched over like your Aunt
Edna." Is it true that you can prevent trouble in your spine
later by paying attention to your posture now? If so, what are
the best ways? What can be done to prevent the stooped posture
of so many people as they age? Scoliosis is a condition in which
there is a curvature of spine to one side; in severe forms, the
bones of the back form an S-curve when viewed from behind. The
spine can also curve from front to back, a term called
"kyphosis" (excessive backward curvature of the mid-section of
the spine) or "lo