February 16, 2017
Keio University School of Medicine
A research group on lifestyle habits and scoliosis, including Professor Morio Matsumoto and Senior Assistant Professor Kota Watanabe of the Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Keio University School of Medicine, Researcher Takehiro Michikawa of the National Institute for Environmental Studies, and Professor Yuji Nishiwaki of the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, School of Medicine, Toho University, in collaboration with the Tokyo Metropolitan Association of Medical Care, investigated lifestyle habits associated with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (hereinafter referred to as scoliosis). They found that many daily lifestyle habits and movements are not associated with scoliosis, while discovering that certain exercises, such as ballet, are.
Scoliosis is a condition in which the spine curves and twists. While it can be caused by known factors such as neurological or muscular diseases and spinal deformities, the most common type is idiopathic scoliosis, for which the cause cannot be identified. The most frequent type of idiopathic scoliosis is adolescent idiopathic scoliosis, which develops during puberty and is seen in approximately 2% of the Japanese population. Genetic factors have long been thought to be involved in the onset of scoliosis, and the Department of Orthopedic Surgery at Keio University School of Medicine and the RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences' Laboratory for Bone and Joint Diseases were the first in the world to discover the genes "LBX1," "GPR126," and "BNC2," which are related to the onset of scoliosis. However, it is believed that not only genes but also the prenatal environment, postnatal living conditions, exercise, and lifestyle habits are involved in the onset and progression of the disease. Therefore, with the cooperation of the Tokyo Metropolitan Association of Medical Care, the research group conducted a 38-item questionnaire survey of 2,600 junior high school girls and their families regarding lifestyle habits, sports history, development, and circumstances during pregnancy and childbirth, and analyzed environmental factors associated with scoliosis. The results showed that regarding the association between scoliosis and lifestyle habits, factors such as the weight of school bags, the type of bag, sleeping posture, sleep duration, sleeping arrangements like using a futon or bed, and dietary habits were not associated with scoliosis, while on the other hand, they discovered that certain exercises, such as ballet, are associated with scoliosis.
This study investigated the previously unclear association between lifestyle habits, exercise, and scoliosis, and found no clear link between them, with the exception of certain exercises.
These results are expected to provide children with scoliosis and their families with accurate information about the associated factors, thereby alleviating their concerns about daily life.
This research was published on February 15 in "The Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery," a comprehensive scientific journal in the field of orthopedics.
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