The Scoliosis Foundation, a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization, is dedicated to its mission of performing charitable services and providing donations for the continued development of clinical research into the prevention, treatment and education of scoliosis patients and their families About Scoliosis According to the Online Etymology Dictionary, Scoliosis is a medical condition in which a person's spine is curved from side to side and may also be rotated. On an x-ray, viewed from the rear, the spine of an individual with scoliosis may look more like an "S" or a "C" than a straight line. It is typically classified as either congenital (caused by vertebral anomalies present at birth), idiopathic (cause unknown, sub-classified as infantile, juvenile, adolescent, or adult according to when onset occurred) or neuromuscular (having developed as a secondary symptom of another condition, such as spina-bifida, cerebral palsy, spinal muscular atrophy or physical trauma). Scoliotic curves of 10° or less affect 3-5 out of every 1,000 people. The prevalence of curves less than 20° is about equal in males and females. 2% of women and 0.5% of men are affected by Scoliosis. It is most common during late childhood, particularly in girls. This condition affects approximately 7 million people in the United States.