The Department of Chiropractic are testing a new way of assessing if a child is at risk of developing scoliosis, an abnormal curvature of the spine that can start in children as young as 11.

Assessing whether a child is at risk of developing scoliosis is quite simple. A health professional evaluates the spine by looking at how the child stands and then measures the curves of their spine.

We are developing a new method of assessing the risk of developing scoliosis that can be done by a parent at home. This new way involves an app called Scoliscreen.

To test the app against the standard way of assessment, we are looking for children between the ages of 11 and 15 years who can attend Macquarie University campus for approximately 45 minutes. Participants receive a $30 shopping voucher from Woolworths for participating in the trial.

If you have a child who is interested in participating, contact Dr Roger Engel at 9850 6387 or roger.engel@mq.edu.au.

NOTE: A parent/guardian must give permission for their child to participate and accompany the child at all times during the trial.

Macquarie University Human Ethics approval: 5201600406