Tbilisi Mayor’s Office finances testing, treatment of scoliosis and flatfeet

Each year Tbilisi Mayor’s Office finances the testing of scoliosis and flatfeet for Georgia’s youth. Photo by Tbilisi Mayor’s Office
Agenda.ge, 19 May 2016 - 16:16, Tbilisi,Georgia

Early detection and treatment of two life-long medical conditions is the latest focus of authorities in Georgia. 

Tbilisi Mayor’s Office has implemented new tools for early detection of scoliosis and flatfeet in Georgia’s younger citizens, and assist parents to get adequate treatment for the conditions. 

  • Scoliosis is a medical condition in which a person experiences abnormal lateral curvature of the spine. Scoliosis occurs most often during the growth spurt, just before puberty.
  • Flatfeet (or fallen arch) is a postural deformity where a person’s foot has an arch that is lower than normal. Sometimes the arch can collapse meaning the entire sole of the foot comes into contact with the ground. The condition can occur when arches don’t develop during childhood, it can develop after an injury or from simple wear-and-tear stresses of age, notes the Mayo clinic.

The Tbilisi Mayor’s Office noted the number of people, particularly children, suffering from scoliosis or flatfeet was "widespread”. The two conditions were generally harmless but could worsen over time if left untreated. 

Each year the Tbilisi Mayor’s Office financed special testing to diagnose scoliosis or flatfeet in youth aged four to 16 years. As with other year’s, the testing was carried out once per year and was free of charge.

This year’s diagnostics revealed 13,100 of the 18,000 children who were tested suffered from one of the conditions.

If a child from a socially vulnerable family was found to have either scoliosis or flatfeet, the Tbilisi Mayor’s Office financed the cost of the patient’s treatment.

Meanwhile the Common Healthcare Program financed 70 percent of treatment costs for the other minors who were found to have either condition.

The treatment generally involved restorative therapy, such as therapeutic exercises, massage, physiotherapy and radiography.