ISSA Trainer Practice Exam 2025 – The All-in-One Guide for Comprehensive Certification Success!

The term that describes excessive lateral curvature of the spinal column is scoliosis. This condition involves a sideways curvature of the spine that can occur during the growth spurts just before puberty. In a healthy spine, the vertebrae are aligned in a straight line, but in scoliosis, the spine may appear to have an "S" or "C" shape when viewed from the back.

Scoliosis can result in various complications, including discomfort, postural changes, and in severe cases, can affect pulmonary function due to compromised space within the thoracic cavity. This distinguishes it clearly from lordosis, which refers to an excessive inward curvature of the spine typically found in the lower back, and kyphosis, which describes an excessive outward curvature of the upper back. Disc herniation, on the other hand, pertains to the displacement of intervertebral discs and does not relate specifically to the curvature of the spine itself. Understanding these distinctions is crucial for identifying spinal conditions and their implications for treatment and management.