50 Years Ago in CORR: The Iliac Apophysis: An Invaluable Sign in the Management of Scoliosis Joseph C. Risser MD CORR 1958;11:111–119

Excerpt

Risser reported in CORR in 1958 his well-known and important sign to assess the state of vertebral growth and predict which scoliosis curves would likely progress in growing children and which would not [4]. In an earlier article describing scoliosis progression in untreated patients [5], Risser and Ferguson had reported slow growth of the spine (sitting height increase of less than one-half inch) and slow increase in scoliosis deformity between the ages of 5 and 10 years (average increase in deformity of 4–5° per year), and accelerated growth (one inch per year) and deformity (average 10° increase per year) between the ages of 10–15 years. In the article we highlight this month from 1958, Risser noted the growth plates in the spine were not easily visible and could not be used to reliably assess spinal growth [4]. However, “The completion of the excursion of the ossification of the iliac apophysis generally was coincident with that of the vertebral growth plates. Therefore, the attachment of the iliac apophysis has proved to be an excellent physiologic sign to indicate the completion of vertebral growth” [4]. …