As the child learns to raise its head or stand erect, the secondary curves or compensation curves appear to compensate for the weight put on the spine. Thus the cervical curve appears when the child raises its head and tries to hold the head up. The weight of the relatively heavy head creates this curve, by caving in (concave). The lumbar curve appears when the weight of the trunk or upper part of the body is required to be supported by the lumbar spine. This happens as the child learns to stand erect and walk. At age ten all four curves of the spine appear.Several abnormal curves may appear during childhood and adolescence. During this developmental stage, nutritional problems, abnormal weight gain, stress, posture problems, trauma etc may cause one or other of the abnormal curves. The main ones are:Kyphosis (Ki-fo-sis)which is an exaggerated thoracic curvature (‘hunchback’ type of curve).Anatomy and Physiology of the BackboneLordosiswhich is an exaggerated lumbar curvature (people with huge bellies may have this)Scoliosiswhich is an abnormal lateral curvature. This can be noticed not from the sides but from the back. Instead of the spine being more or less straight, it produces curves to the sides. There are several reasons for this type of abnormal lateral curvature. Psychological problems in childhood or adolescence are the most common. *66\330\8*
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