In the case of the most common form of scoliosis, adolescent idiopathic scoliosis, there is no clear causal agent . Various causes have been implicated, but none have consensus among scientists as the cause of scoliosis.
The role of genetic factors in the development of this condition is widely accepted. Scoliosis is more often diagnosed in females and is often seen in patients with cerebral palsy or spina bifida,which is a birth defect that involves the incomplete development of the spinal cord and its coverings , although this form of scoliosis is different from that seen in children without these conditions. In some cases, scoliosis exists at birth due to a congenital vertebral anomaly.
Occasionally, development of scoliosis during adolescence is due to an underlying anomaly such as a tethered spinal cord, but most often the cause is unknown or idiopathic, having been inherited through genetics . Some therapists like the referenced Hanna Somatic therapist believe that trauma to an adult can cause, not just asymmetry but an actual curve to the spine visible on x-ray, although no documentation is offered in her article. Scoliosis often presents itself, or worsens, during the adolescence growth spurt. During adolescence, due to rapid growth of the body, hip and leg proportions in the leg and thigh may become misaligned, causing temporary acute scoliosis.
In April 2007, researchers at Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children identified the first gene associated with idiopathic scoliosis, CHD7. The medical breakthrough was the result of a 10-year study and is outlined in the May 2007 issue of the American Journal of Human Genetics.
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