Theodoor Smit is professor of Translational Regenerative Medicine at Amsterdam University Medical Centers (Amsterdam UMC), Amsterdam, Netherlands.
Preparation on this topic please read the publication: https://rdcu.be/dG1Bd
In his landmark publication On Growth and Form, D’Arcy Thompson wrote that the anatomy of an organism reflects the forces it is subjected to. This means that mechanical forces underlie the shape of tissues, organs and organisms, whether healthy or diseased. Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis (AIS) is called idiopathic because the underlying cause of the deformation is unknown, although many factors have been identified to be associated. Eventually, however, any deformity is the result of mechanical forces.
Here it will be argued that increased spinal elongation and reduced ligamental growth result in differential strain and a vicious circle of scoliotic deformation. Recognising the physical and biological cues that contribute to this growth difference allows earlier diagnosis of AIS and prevention in children at risk.