Extract
It is a well-known fact that the human spine grows during the infantile,
juvenile, and adolescent periods of life. Less known and less obvious are the
specifics of vertebral column growth, including the total amount of growth per
year and the amount of growth that occurs at each vertebral segment and in
each of the various planes (axial, coronal, sagittal, and transverse). We do
know that the growth rate of the spine varies according to age. In utero, the
spine grows at an extremely accelerated rate; from birth to two years of age,
it develops at an increased rate; from two to ten years of age, it proceeds to
grow at a steady rate; and finally, during the prepubescent growth phase, it
grows at an increased rate once again.