Since 1982, the mass screening examination of scoliosis has been carried out for school children aged 10 to 15 years in Saga City. 3314 children in 1983 were examined by orthopaedists, and 4073 children in 1984 were done by orthopaedists on the first screening and by the scoliosis specialists on the second screening. X-rays were taken on all of the hump owners in 1983 and on the hump proprietors more than 7mm in 1984.
The incidence for scoliosis with curves more than 10 degrees by Cobb method was found to be 3.04% in 1983 and 1.38% in 1984. The incidence for scoliosis with curves more than 20 degrees was 0.21% in 1983 and 0.25% in 1984.
7mm hump seemed to be proper cutting point.
All of the curves more than 20 degrees were found in females.
Three to four females per thousand school children in elementary school and six to seven females per thousand in junior high school had curves more than 20 degrees.
The opinionaire investigation was performed for grasp the present state of mass screening examination of scoliosis.
Many problems awaiting solution of mass screening were took up and investigated about its countermeasure.
Orthopaedist should co-operate with the Board of Education, the district medical association and the school authorities, and effort for establishment of the permanent system in mass screening examination of scoliosis for school children should be done.