Scoliosis is considered any lateral (sideways) curvature of the spine that is at least 10 degrees as measured by the Cobb angle, which is found by examining an x-ray of the back. When a Cobb angle is above 10 degrees but less than 25 degrees, typically the recommended course of action is observation. This means every 4 to 6 months the doctor takes another x-ray to see if the curve is progressing or not.