Scoliosis: facts and fiction for the family physician.

Idiopathic scoliosis is a common deformity in the adolescent age group. It is now known to be a hereditary condition, demanding careful family scrutiny. Furthermore, studies of the natural history have proven its serious long term consequences. As spinal curvatures may progress insidiously and relentlessly, early diagnosis becomes the hallmark of management. Mass screening for spinal curvatures by family physicians and medical resource personnel is recommended as a practical approach to early definition of this problem.