Scoliosis symptoms could be recognized among the students being tested from ages five to eighteen, but subsequent studies never confirmed them for this age-range. To begin the screenings, children would have their shoulder height, leg length and spinal curvature measurements taken while partially clothed. This was followed with the forward-bend test and bodily comparisons to wall charts that were printed reproductions of the ideal human posture. Unfortunately, these screenings were not always accurate and many students were misdiagnosed because poor posture could often be mistaken for scoliosis. One of the first treatments designed was the Milwaukee brace, a rigid contraption of
Scoliosis stops after puberty when skeletal maturity is reached, however, further curvature may proceed during late adulthood due to vertebral osteoporosis and weakened musculature. The cost of scoliosis involves both monetary losses and lifestyle limitations that increase with severity. Respiratory deficiencies may also arise from thoracic deformities and cause abnormal breathing. This directly affects exercise and work capacity, decreasing the overall quality of life. In the health care system of the United States, the average hospital cost for cases involving surgical procedures was $30,000 to $60,000 per patient in 2010. As of 2006, the cost of bracing has been published as