Scoliosis specific exercises are an important part of managing the condition. What do they entail? We've got the answers.
What Are Scoliosis Exercises And The Schroth Method?
Scoliosis Exercises (also known as the Schroth Method) are a non-surgical treatment option for scoliosis. These exercises are specifically customised and tailored to individual patients, and entail a course of corrective scoliosis exercises aimed at returning a curved spine to a more natural position. Your practitioner will do this by putting you in positions that help to de-rotate, elongate, and stabilise the spine across a three dimensional plane.
Ultimately, the exercises aim to:
Restore muscular symmetry and realign your posture
Help with breathing into the concave side of the body
Provide lessons on how one can be aware of their posture
How Do Scoliosis Exercises Help?
Scoliosis patients suffer a variety of complications and symptoms. When the spine curves, it can cause chronic back pain, back stiffness, pinched nerves that cause pain and numbness in the legs, and fatigue from strained muscles. Additionally, scoliosis patients also experience breathing problems that arise as a result of the rib cage impacting the lungs.
Scoliosis patients also suffer from balancing issues in the body, and many describe living with the condition as ‘feeling like you are being pulled down to one side’. Patients also describe being weighed down, as well as stiffness in the affected areas. Many individuals also experience shifting of the waist and trunk to the side, uneven hips and shoulders, and prominent hips. Subsequently, some patients develop insecurities about their appearance, with ill-fitting clothing also exacerbating the problem. These symptoms can greatly hamper quality of life.
Scoliosis exercises can help to strengthen the core muscles and tendons, providing better support to accommodate for the curvature of the spine.
Additionally, scoliosis exercises can also help to stretch out and loosen muscles that are tight and strained, providing relief for chronic pain. Adopted as part of a scoliosis management program, scoliosis exercises can definitely help to improve patients’ quality of life, allowing them to lead fairly normal lives whilst discouraging the condition from worsening further.
Why You Need To See A Professional Before Beginning
Although it can be tempting to get started with scoliosis exercises, we can’t emphasise enough how important it is for you to see a professional before you begin.
Besides having the appropriate knowledge and understanding of the specific techniques used in treating scoliosis, a professional can also:
Minimise or eliminate the risk of injury while performing scoliosis exercises by showing patients the right way to stretch.
Increase the effectiveness of scoliosis exercises by providing tips and lessons for long-term lifestyle changes that patients can adopt for better health.
Be a pillar of support to help and provide advice for the emotional and mental, as well as physical complications arising as a result of scoliosis.
Provide a wealth of knowledge and information on scoliosis, which can better help the patient to understand their condition and how to manage it.
Suggest additional options for managing the condition, such as a back brace.