Do they enlist in the army with grade 2 scoliosis, or are these excellent grounds for being rejected?

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Updated: October 19, 2021
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According to statistics, the majority of people suffering from scoliosis are young men aged 18 to 30 years. It is this age range that corresponds to the period for conscription of citizens to serve in the ranks of the armed forces of the Russian Federation. Therefore, young people often have a question about whether they will be accepted into the army with scoliosis in 2021.

Classification of scoliosis

The following forms of scoliosis are distinguished::

• thoracic (thoracic) – the location of the curvature is the thoracic spine;
• lumbar (lumbar) – the location of the curvature is the lumbar spine;
• thoracolumbar (thoracolumbar) – the location of the curvature is the place of transition from the thoracic to lumbar region;
• combined - the spinal column is curved in two places at the same time (S-shaped curvature).

Classification of scoliosis by localization of curvature

All types of scoliosis can have several degrees of severity - depending on the angle of inclination of the arc formed by the curvature from the main axis of the spinal column:

• I degree – the angle of inclination is no more than 10 degrees.
• II degree – the angle of inclination is from 11 to 25 degrees.
• III degree - the angle of inclination is from 26 to 50 degrees.
• IV degree - the angle of inclination is more than 50 degrees.

Treatment methods

Treatment of S-shaped scoliosis is carried out taking into account its degree and the patient’s complaints. Main methods of therapy:

• physiotherapy;
• exercise therapy;
• manual therapy.

If conservative methods are ineffective, they resort to surgery, which may require removal of the ribs or costal hump. But this happens in very rare cases. Children and adolescents who continue to grow and have a curvature with an arc angle of more than 20° are prescribed to wear an orthopedic corset. Among the physiotherapeutic methods, pulsed currents and magnetic therapy are effective. Such procedures significantly reduce or completely eliminate pain, improve blood circulation and metabolism in tissues, and have a relaxing effect on tense muscles. Therapeutic exercises are first shown by a physical therapy instructor, then they can be done at home. It is very important to study regularly and not miss classes.

For reference! Training according to the K. Schroth method gives an excellent effect. Exercise therapy can be combined with swimming, yoga and Pilates.

In our center, scoliosis treatment is carried out by doctors who are fluent in manual techniques. All procedures are performed using modern ergonomic equipment, which ensures maximum comfort for the patient. Make an appointment with us today for diagnostics to undergo treatment and receive personal recommendations on lifestyle correction and physical activity. You can make an appointment by calling +375 29 628 85 82 or leaving your contacts in the feedback form.

The army and scoliosis: when they give a deferment and a military ID

The first degree of scoliosis occurs in almost every second young person . In accordance with the new list of diseases that came into force on January 1, 2014, which states what diseases conscripts are not accepted into the service of the fatherland, scoliosis of II, III and IV degrees of severity is a reason not to accept a conscript into the army.

At the same time, stage I of scoliosis is not a prerequisite for release from service , because with such a degree of curvature of the spinal column, the full functioning of the conscript’s musculoskeletal system is not impaired. Young people with degree I curvature of the spinal column enter service in accordance with category “B”, which means that they are allowed only certain restrictions during military service.

Conscripts with grades III and IV scoliosis are not accepted for military service in accordance with category "D" , which means unsuitable for military service.
Categories of conscripts according to health indicators

What should the complaints be?

Even the slightest curvature leads to increased stress on the spine. In this regard, discomfort and some painful sensations appear. The severity of symptoms depends on the magnitude of the deviation angle. With second degree scoliosis, patients complain of:

• pain in the spine when standing in an upright position for some time;
• decreased normal mobility;
• restrictions in turning the torso and neck;
• numbness of the limbs;
• muscle weakness;
• etc.

The regulatory documents provide a list of complaints that are not considered significant:

• Back pain appears with prolonged standing or sitting after 5 hours or more. To obtain exemption from the army, this indicator must be recorded in the medical history and the time of onset of painful symptoms must be less than 5 hours.
• A reduction in range of motion of less than 20% is a minor pathology. If the medical report contains a 21% limit, the conscript will be released from the army. Only 1% plays a decisive role.
• Decreased sensitivity in one area controlled by a nerve in the back. For complaints to be significant, it is necessary to record a violation of sensitivity and muscle mobility in several departments at once.

As practice shows, people with second-degree scoliosis are more often drafted into the army than given release. Problems also arise when undergoing a second medical examination, when doctors do not indicate 1% or other minor, but important in this case, facts. Often, in order to defend your right, you need advice and support from a lawyer, running around in offices, even litigation.

How to get a deferment and a military ID for scoliosis

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Next fact

In order for a conscript to receive a deferment for scoliosis, it is necessary to provide earlier tests and studies confirming the diagnosis. Very often, the medical commission at the military registration and enlistment office tries to “lasso into service” conscripts with II degree of scoliosis. Most often, this happens in cases where the angle of curvature of the spinal column is 1-3 degrees higher than the norm at which conscripts, in accordance with the law, are accepted into the ranks of soldiers (the angle of curvature is from 1 to 10 degrees).

Specialists from the military medical commission may deliberately indicate the first degree of scoliosis instead of the second degree in the conscript’s documents. In such cases, it is extremely important for the conscript not to get confused and to provide all previously collected medical certificates and other examination results confirming that he has a II degree curvature of the spinal column (specifically, a medical card with the entire medical history is provided, as well as x-rays taken in two projections - horizontal and vertical).

It is very important that all medical documents have a recent date - they should not be issued earlier than 6 months before passing the military medical examination.

When providing such documentation, the commission does not have the right to refuse to take these documents into account and insist on its decision. Otherwise, the conscript has every right to file complaints with higher authorities and even the court.

Also, with grade II scoliosis, a young man can only be given a temporary deferment from military service . This is due to the fact that this degree of the disease is treatable. Therefore, if at the next conscription the medical commission finds improvements in the health of the conscript, he will also be drafted into the army in the same category “B” - i.e. with some restrictions.

If the angle of curvature of the spine becomes even greater the next time the conscript undergoes commission, the young man will be required to be denied service and given a military ID.

In the presence of III and IV degrees of curvature of the spinal column, after the conscript has provided the medical commission with a medical card with a medical history, as well as two x-rays (one in a horizontal projection, the second in a vertical projection), confirming the angle of curvature of the spine that is unacceptable for military service (from 26 degrees and more), the young man is completely released from service and given a military ID in hand.

With subsequent calls, there will be no need to prove the presence of one or another degree of the disease, since since 2005 a law has come into force abolishing the re-examination of diseases of category “D” (i.e. with complete exemption from military service).

When undergoing a medical examination at the military registration and enlistment office, it is important to have an x-ray of the spine with you, confirming scoliosis. When passing a military medical commission, it is extremely important to have with you:

• personal medical card with a clearly written history of the disease;
• all certificates regarding the treatment of the spinal column for the entire period of detection of spinal curvature;
• one picture in a horizontal projection (lying down) – the fixed position of scoliosis is determined;
• one photograph in a vertical projection (standing) - the degree of pathology is determined.

During that time period (6 months) for which the conscript is granted a deferment from the army, he is required to undergo treatment in order to reduce the angle of curvature of the spine .

To treat this pathology, specially designed rigid corsets are used. They must be worn at least 18 hours a day. And ideally, the time you wear the corset should be increased to 23 hours a day, removing this device only for the duration of therapeutic exercises and hygiene procedures. Physiotherapeutic procedures and manual therapy are also prescribed for the treatment of spinal curvature.

Video: “Do people with scoliosis join the army?”

"Army Tricks"

It is worth focusing attention on the situation in which young people suffering from stage 1 or 2 scoliosis with a certain angle of curvature of the spine are drafted into the army. To prove that in this case, a disease of the 1st degree and military service are incompatible, since in a particular case there are disorders in the musculoskeletal system, it is necessary:

• write a statement in the prescribed form. You will have to present two copies at once. One of them should be registered indicating the incoming number, date and person who accepted the document (last name and signature are written down);
• Attach certificates and x-rays (standing and lying down) to the main document. Copies must be presented; original documents must be kept with you. This is especially true for x-rays, which must remain with the conscript until re-examination is required. If under any circumstances a young person is denied a second procedure, he has the right to submit documentation to the court and prove that, given the type of disease, a fitness category with restrictions is assigned.

Attention! The conscript has the right not to take repeated photographs, but to demand a commission’s conclusion based on the available material - those radiographs that were taken six months ago.

Scoliosis and police service: with what degree of illness are they hired?

You can serve in the police with grade 1 or 2 scoliosis. Working in the police requires good physical fitness and excellent health. Selection for police officers is strict.

Each applicant must undergo a military medical commission.

It is she who makes a conclusion about whether a man is fit to work in the police for health reasons.

In most cases, men with grades I and II of severity of spinal column curvature are accepted into the police department.

However, this happens only when the specialists of the medical commission are sure to be convinced of the young man’s physical readiness, and also that such hard work will not contribute to the acceleration of the development of scoliosis.

Note! In accordance with the order of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation of July 14, 2010 N 523, the presence of a spinal curvature angle of less than 9 degrees is not an obstacle to working in the police. Moreover, such persons should not have job restrictions. If the angle of curvature of the spine is more than 8 degrees, police officers may not serve in all police departments, while also having job restrictions.

Reasons for development

The main reason for the development of S-shaped scoliosis is genetic predisposition. And its formation can be determined by a lot of different factors, each of which boils down to the fact that too much or uneven load is placed on the spine. Therefore, with the initial formation of a scoliotic arch in the lumbar region as a result of the action of compensatory mechanisms, over time a second arch will form in the thoracic spine or even invade the cervical spine.

Such processes pose a rather serious threat, as they entail a change in the position of all surrounding anatomical structures, including the ribs. Therefore, if left untreated, S-shaped scoliosis can easily provoke disturbances in the functioning of the heart, lungs and other internal organs, as well as a decrease in the quality of blood circulation. And if, as a result of curvature of the spine, the spinal roots passing through the natural openings of the vertebrae are also pinched, this will also lead to the addition of radicular syndrome. It is manifested by severe pain, disturbances in sensitivity and mobility of the corresponding parts of the body, as well as disruption of the innervation of certain organs, which will also lead to the development of unfavorable organic changes in them.

Most often, pathology occurs in children and adolescents precisely because the spine continues to form until about 20 years of age, i.e., until this age it remains quite plastic. Therefore, various types of influences can lead to its curvature, which in itself is initially completely asymptomatic.

So, the main reasons for the development of S-shaped scoliosis are the same factors, in particular:

• lack of habit of keeping your back straight when walking and working at a desk, computer, etc.;
• low level of physical activity, which leads to weakness of the muscle corset and lack of adequate support for the spine;
• lifting and carrying heavy objects;
• carrying a bag or school backpack on one shoulder.

Still, the main reason for the development of scoliosis at school age is the improper organization of the workplace, i.e., the height of the table and chair does not correspond to the height of the child.

However, S-shaped scoliosis can also develop in adults. More often, the pathology is diagnosed in older people who have had a slight curvature of the spine since adolescence. Since with age, degenerative changes inevitably occur in the intervertebral discs that separate the vertebrae, they become thinner and can no longer cope with the load. This is usually aggravated by a decrease in the tone of the back muscles, which leads to the existing scoliosis progressing and developing into an S-shape.

At the same time, the risk of spinal deformity increases in the presence of predisposing factors, which include:

• The need to remain in one position for a long time, for example, sitting at a table. Static positions negatively affect the functioning of the entire body, provoking the development of stagnation, but the spine suffers no less from them, especially if a person does not monitor his posture.
• Overweight and obesity. Every extra kilogram negatively affects the condition of the spine, increasing the load on it when moving, standing or sitting. At the same time, the type of obesity, i.e. the most problematic areas in which the bulk of adipose tissue accumulates, determines which part of the spine will suffer the most.
• Incorrect selection of intensity of power loads. Often the cause of the development of S-shaped scoliosis is not only a sedentary lifestyle, which results in a weakening of the muscle corset and a decrease in the quality of support for the spine, as well as obesity, but also excessive strength exercises. If the training regimen is incorrectly selected, especially those involving heavy lifting, the load will fall only on a certain muscle group, which will create the preconditions for spinal curvature.
• Getting a spinal injury. Compression fractures, whiplash injuries and other types of injuries to the spine are fraught with its deformation, especially if the patient neglects the need to wear an orthopedic bandage or corset. In such situations, the injured spine does not receive the support it needs, and due to a gentle lifestyle and the inevitable decrease in muscle tone, it becomes completely unprotected and begins to bend.

Diagnostics

Diagnosis and treatment of S-shaped scoliosis is the task of an orthopedist. The doctor will initially collect anamnesis, i.e. data about the patient’s lifestyle, the nature of existing health complaints, and then conduct an examination. Initially, he will examine the patient’s back, and then be sure to ask him to lean forward as much as possible so that his fingertips reach his toes or at least strive for this position. In this position, changes in the spine are best visible.

Thanks to this simple test, you can already detect changes characteristic of S-shaped scoliosis of the 2nd degree:

• the position of one shoulder is higher than the other;
• formation of a hump in the spine;
• the presence of spaces between the ribs, their incomplete retraction;
• approaching the costal arch closer to the spine;
• asymmetrical arrangement of the blades;
• asymmetrical position of the waist triangles;
• shortening of legs or arms.

Also, S-shaped scoliosis is characterized by a decrease in muscle tone, in particular the abdominal muscles.

To confirm the diagnosis and accurately determine the degree of scoliosis, an X-ray examination of the spine in several projections is prescribed. Thanks to the obtained images, it is possible to make accurate measurements and calculate the angle of curvature of each arch, which will allow you to make the correct diagnosis, as well as understand whether you can try to correct the situation using conservative methods or whether surgical intervention is already required.

If necessary, the doctor may also recommend a CT or MRI. These are more modern and expensive research methods, but with their help you can collect maximum information about all the anatomical structures that form the spine and detect the slightest pathological changes in them.

Elderly patients may additionally be prescribed densitometry, i.e., an examination designed to determine bone density. This is important for detecting osteoporosis and determining the risk of developing complications associated with it.