[The result of the author's screening system of scoliosis in elementary and junior-high schools].

Since 1978 school screening of scoliosis has been performed every year by the system established by the author consisting of 4 step examinations in Niigata City. The initial examination is carried out with forward bending test associated with swing maneuver by school nurses or school doctors in all school boys and girls from the 4th grade of elementary school to the 3rd grade of junior-high school. The incidence of scoliosis with deformity of more than 20 degrees has been nearly constant ranging from 0.06% to 0.09% in elementary school, and 0.35% to 0.40% in junior-high school. The author compared the number and treatment of the patients of Niigata City seen in our scoliosis clinic in the period of 7 years before and after starting this program. After this program started, the number of the patients with scoliosis of more than 20 degrees has increased by 4 times. The number of surgery in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis, on the contrary, has markedly decreased.