TREATMENT

OF

LATERAL CURVATURE OF THE SPINE.

LATERAL curvature of the spine is a deformity due to lateral deviation and distortion of the spinal column, nearly always accompanied by more or less exaggeration or diminution of the normal antero-posterior curves.

This deformity is predisposed to by weakness of the spinal muscles combined with long-continued sitting or standing in stooping or relaxed positions, such as standing on one leg, sitting writing and reading with the trunk leaning to one side (see figs. 1 and 3) or with the thighs crossed.

The position of writing, as generally practised, is, more frequently than anything else, an initial cause of lateral and other curvatures not due to diseased bone. The much larger proportion of girls than of boys affected is due to the fact that girls do not enjoy, as a rule, one-fourth of the usual amount of physical exercise, as cricket, football, etc., allowed to boys. Their muscles either never develop as they ought, or become weak; and, although they sit no worse than boys at their lessons, they have not sufficient strength to hold