What it means
A sideways spinal curve with vertebral rotation, giving a rib hump on forward bending.
Where it comes from
A structural curve with rotation that does not correct with a change of position.
How it is measured
It is measured on the back view, in the coronal plane. The defining measurement is Sideways curve of the spine (Cobb angle), and it is reported as a finding from above 10°. The number is computed from landmarks on that photograph — not estimated by eye, and not compared against a stock example.
What the numbers mean
| Measurement | Grade |
|---|---|
| up to 10° | No scoliosis |
| 10–25° | Mild — monitoring and exercise |
| 25–40° | Moderate — bracing usually indicated |
| 40° and above | Severe — surgical assessment |
Source of the bands: Cobb JR, AAOS Instr Course Lect 1948;5:261-75 — SRS bands, applied here to a SURFACE trace, not a radiograph
What is usually seen alongside it
- One shoulder higher (Acromial tilt) — above 2°
- One shoulder blade higher (Inferior scapular angle level) — above 2°
- Upper body shifted to one side (Lateral trunk shift) — above 2°
None of these is a diagnosis on its own. Together they corroborate the finding; apart, they do not refute it — a measurement nobody took counts neither for nor against.
What confirms it
The Adams forward-bend test with a scoliometer: a trunk rotation of 5-7° or more is the referral threshold for a standing radiograph (Bunnell 1984). A true Cobb angle is read only on film.
Every number on this page is measured on the skin surface in a photograph. That is not the same as a measurement taken on a radiograph: it correlates with one and does not replace it. Wherever the decision depends on imaging, this page and the report itself say so.
What happens at the clinic
The assessment starts with three standing photographs — front, side and back. Every angle is measured on those photographs, the report prints the number and the grade for each, and the exercise programme is built from those numbers rather than from a template. Posture analysis explains the whole path, and the online assessment can be started from your own photograph now.
Frequently asked questions
At what point is structural scoliosis reported?
When sideways curve of the spine (cobb angle) is above 10°, it is reported as a finding. That is where the "Mild — monitoring and exercise" band begins. The bands come from: Cobb JR, AAOS Instr Course Lect 1948;5:261-75 — SRS bands, applied here to a SURFACE trace, not a radiograph
Can structural scoliosis be assessed from a photograph?
A photograph gives a number, which most assessments do not have. But it is a surface measurement and it does not replace imaging. The Adams forward-bend test with a scoliometer: a trunk rotation of 5-7° or more is the referral threshold for a standing radiograph (Bunnell 1984). A true Cobb angle is read only on film.
What is the most severe grade?
The worst band in this table is "Severe — surgical assessment". The grade is printed beside the measurement itself in the report, so it is always clear which number produced the word.