Yoga for Scoliosis
Scoliosis is an abnormal side-to-side or front-to-back curvature of the spine.
When viewed from the back, the spine typically appears perfectly straight. Scoliosis is a lateral (side-to side) curve in the spine, usually combined with a rotation of the vertebrae. The lateral curvature of scoliosis should not be confused with the normal set of front-to back spinal curves visible from the side. Although a small degree of lateral curvature does not cause any medical problems, larger curves can cause postural imbalance and lead to muscle pain and fatigue. More severe scoliosis can interfere with breathing and lead to arthritis of the spine.
About 10 percent of all adolescents have some degree of scoliosis, though less than 1 percent has curves that require medical attention beyond supervising. Scoliosis is found in both boys and girls, but a girl’s spinal curve is much more likely to progress than a boy’s. Girls require scoliosis treatment about five times as often. The reason for these differences is not known.
While important for general health and strength, exercise has not been shown to prevent or slow the progression of scoliosis. It may help to relieve pain from scoliosis by helping to maintain range of motion. Good nutrition is also important for general health, but no specific dietary regimen has been shown to control scoliosis development. In particular, dietary calcium levels do not influence scoliosis progression.
Chiropractic treatment may relieve pain but cannot halt scoliosis development, and should not be a substitute for conventional treatment of progressive scoliosis.
Acupuncture and acupressure may also help reduce pain and discomfort, but they cannot halt scoliosis development either.
Other physical therapies (yoga, qigong, t’ai chi, and dance) improve flexibility and are useful when used with such movement education therapies as Feldenkrais, the Rosen method, Pilates, and the Alexander method.