This is interesting at several levels ---
First, the whale appears quite sick, which makes you wonder if he/she is symptomatic due to the scoliosis, or it may be interfering with his/her ability to swim and feed, perhaps causing pain!
Second, obviously scoliosis can occur even when you are not standing erect and having gravity working on your spine.
Enjoy this little article.
Thanks Kelly for sharing this!
Dr. Lloyd Hey
Hey Clinic for Scoliosis and Spine Surgery.
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http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/41540473/ns/us_news-environment/
HONOLULU — Experts believe a sick whale spotted off Kauai this week may be suffering from scoliosis, or curvature of the spine.
It's a rare disorder but scientists say they have seen it in other marine mammals like dolphins.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's marine mammal response coordinator, David Schofield, says officials are confident the whale was either born with the condition or acquired it over the course of its life.
The Honolulu Star-Advertiser newspaper reported Friday that Schofield ruled out a boat collision, saying it's not plausible an animal hit by a boat would have retained the shape of such an injury.
A flight instructor on Kauai spotted the white, emaciated whale with a severely deformed spine on Monday. He said the 50 foot whale "appeared to be bent in half."
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