Which skeletal disorder is characterized by an abnormal curvature of the spine?

• A. Scoliosis
• B. Kyphosis
• C. Lordosis
• D. Spondylosis

Answer: (A)

Abnormal lateral curvature of the spine is the main idea here. Scoliosis describes a side-to-side curve of the spine, often with some rotation of the vertebrae, which can make the shoulders or hips look uneven and may produce a rib hump when bending forward. This is different from kyphosis, which is an excessive forward rounding of the upper back in the sagittal plane, and from lordosis, which is an excessive inward curve of the lower back in the sagittal plane. Spondylosis, on the other hand, refers to degenerative changes in the spine such as bone spurs and disc wear, not a curvature abnormality. So when asked for an abnormal curvature of the spine, scoliosis is the best fit.