Scoliosis is a condition defined by an abnormal curvature of the spine. A non-defective spine should be curved in the upper spine area, shoulder area, and at the lower end of it near the lumbar area. A spine with scoliosis is usually curved from side to side, taking either an S shape or a C shape. Scoliosis is usually detected in the early seven years of the person’s life, but can also develop in adulthood for a variety of reasons, such as a head injury, uneven pelvic positions, or joint surgeries.
The cause in children is usually due to birth defects, neurological abnormalities, or genetic conditions. But what should you do if you have scoliosis?
Don’t Frequently Text and Don’t Sleep On Your Stomach
When we are texting, our head is in a very awkward position that is harmful to our spine; it can cause all sorts of spinal issues because it puts pressure on the spinal vessels and causes degeneration of the vertebrae over time. However, for someone with scoliosis, this could exacerbate their symptoms and can accelerate the progression of their condition. That’s why if you must text, try to keep it on eye-level or use a cervical roll when texting.
That said, sleeping on your stomach with thoracic scoliosis could potentially cause your thoracic spine to become flattered. Additionally, if you sleep on your stomach, you will have to put your head sideways and that could further twist your spine.
Don’t Do Sports
Sports like competitive swimming or football could adversely affect your condition. For instance, swimming can cause a little bit of curvature of the spine for swimmers, and having scoliosis could increase the progression of your already curved spine and can make your case worse. Additionally, football is a contact sport and can cause injury to your body and spine. If your child has scoliosis, this type of sport could put a great deal of stress on their spine, and if they have a genetic predisposition for scoliosis, football could potentially trigger it. Football is also dangerous if you have had surgery for scoliosis or if you have metal rods in your back.
Further, running on hard surfaces like roads or sidewalks for long-distances could potentially pose a risk on your spine if you have scoliosis. Taking a step on hard surfaces already puts pressure on your spine, and running would double that pressure and increase the chances of injury. That’s why scoliosis may exacerbate if you keep jogging on hard surfaces. With that being said, trampolines are quite dangerous as well. Even if you have mild scoliosis, jumping on trampolines could potentially make your curvature worsen with time. This is why it’s recommended that anyone with scoliosis avoids trampolines completely.
Get Treatment
Living with scoliosis is challenging, but luckily, it could be treated medically. There are different types of treatment for scoliosis, depending on the severity of the condition. Medical professionals in the Green Bay area categorize treatments for scoliosis into two parts; braces to help align the spine or surgery. However, surgery is often performed for more severe cases that can’t be fixed in any other way. There are types of scoliosis that are characterized by uneven hips, but it’s considered functional scoliosis because the person usually has a normal spine and their scoliosis is somewhere else in their body. This type of scoliosis causes different leg lengths, and it can be fixed by wearing wedges to prevent the spine from curving and to fix the alignment.
Scoliosis Exercises
There are special stretches and exercises that you can perform if you have scoliosis. These stretches will help you manage your scoliosis and could also aid you in fixing the alignment of your spine. You won’t have to resort to surgery. However, these stretches are usually helpful in mild cases. People with lumbar scoliosis need to focus their exercises on that part of the body, namely the pelvis. That said, if the scoliosis is in the thoracic area, you will need to exercise the shoulders. Exercises like pelvic tilts, abdominal press, or arm-leg raises are types of exercises that you can follow. Nonetheless, you should never attempt these exercises on your own, and it’s recommended that you consult a physical therapist that can better guide you through these exercises. An additional benefit for these exercises is that they can greatly help you manage the pain that results from a curved spine.
Scoliosis may sound like a condition that is debilitating or uncontrollable. However, today’s medical advancements make it a condition that is treatable and manageable. Additionally, medical advancements have also made it possible to treat scoliosis with extreme ease. This is why you should never fret f if you have scoliosis, but should simply follow your doctor’s or your physical therapist’s orders and perform needed exercises consistently.