Find Relief: How Yoga Can Help Manage Scoliosis
October 15, 2024
Even if you’re new to yoga, you may have heard that practicing asanas can help improve posture and relieve back pain. But what about scoliosis? Thousands of Americans suffer from this condition, and it can lead to chronic back pain and more serious consequences.
In this blog, take a look at how hitting your mat regularly can help relieve scoliosis symptoms allowing you to move more freely and stand up straighter.
What is Scoliosis?
We’ve all heard about back pain and – let’s be honest – most adults feel a twinge in their spinal column from time to time. Scoliosis, however, is more than simple back pain. It’s an abnormal sideways curvature of the spine that is most often diagnosed in young people and teenagers between the ages of ten and 15.
According to the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS), scoliosis affects between six and nine million people in the U.S. Many of those affected have a very mild case of the condition. In fact, it’s possible to go through life without ever noticing that your spine isn’t perfectly straight.
However, scoliosis can also progress to a stage where surgery is required. While the number of boys and girls diagnosed is almost equal, women are eight times more likely to progress to a curve that requires medical intervention.
Are Scoliosis and Back Pain the Same?
Put simply – no, scoliosis and back pain aren’t the same. Scoliosis is a medical condition where a person’s spine forms an abnormal curve. Back pain may be a symptom of scoliosis, but it is just as often an indicator that you’re spending too much of your day sitting at a desk, slouching in front of a screen, or wearing high heels.
All joking aside, chronic back pain can be equally debilitating as a serious case of scoliosis. Practicing yoga regularly can help treat both. Saying that, here is a disclaimer: if you’ve been diagnosed with scoliosis or are suffering from strong back pain, we recommend you speak to your doctor before taking up a new form of exercise. If you’re already practicing yoga, read on for tips on which poses can support your back.
How Can Yoga Support Scoliosis Treatment?
Traditional approaches to scoliosis treatment revolved around observing and bracing of the spine. In serious cases, doctors may have recommended spinal fusion surgery. Modern treatment approaches have evolved to take a more dynamic approach.
While yoga may not be enough to induce a structural change in a person’s spine, practicing yoga can certainly be incorporated into a more comprehensive treatment approach as a highly effective way of keeping your spine and its surrounding muscles strong and flexible.
Practicing asanas regularly improves core strength and helps stabilize the spine while improving overall flexibility. Many practitioners also notice that their posture improves when they practice regularly.
Three Asanas to Help with Scoliosis
Most asanas benefit your spine and your core, but if you’re looking for scoliosis relief specifically, it’s worth taking a different approach. Areas affected by the curve of the spine can feel tight. Bringing breath to those parts of the body helps open them up and reduces the discomfort.
While most yoga practitioners have a stronger and a weaker side, those with scoliosis will notice that moves can feel distinctly different for their left and right sides. That is because muscles and tendons have become uneven due to the curvature. Tissues on the concave side are tighter, whereas the convex side tends to be lengthened and often weaker.
Bear this in mind when you’re practicing and adjust the time you spend strengthening and stretching respectively while also trying to bring balance to your back. Here are three simple asanas to help relieve the effects of scoliosis.
1. Downward-Facing Dog
There is almost no end to the benefits of this pose, whether you’re integrating it into a flow of asanas or using it as a resting pose. When it comes to dealing with scoliosis, downward-facing dog is a great pose to help take the pressure off your spine and allow your back to lengthen.
If you’re feeling stiff, start with your knees bent and walk your feet a bit to loosen stiff muscles and bring mobility to your hips. Try to distribute your weight evenly between your legs and hands to balance your body.
2. Warrior 1 and 2
Warrior poses improve balance and stamina. They also strengthen the muscles around your spine while loosening potentially contracted muscles like your psoas which may be affected by lumbar scoliosis.
Be careful if you’re integrating twists and bends. Gentle versions help address imbalances, but challenging variations may put too much strain on your spine, especially if you’re new to practicing yoga.
3. Side Planks
You may be surprised to find side planks on this list. However, these poses are excellent for asymmetrical strengthening. If you’re unsure, start with your whole forearm on the mat rather than just your hand. Your arms and your core will support your body weight as you’re working to strengthen the convex side of your spine by working your abdominal and spinal muscles.
Remember to start slow and increase hold times or add variations gradually as your spine strengthens.
Need Inspiration? Book an Uptown Yoga Class Now!
Treating scoliosis effectively usually requires a combination of interventions. Yoga can be an integral part of your approach to living with scoliosis. Talk to our experienced instructors if you’re concerned about specific asanas during a class or would like a bit more advice.
If you would like to focus specifically on gaining scoliosis relief from your yoga practice, we recommend booking a few private one-on-one sessions with an instructor to address your needs. Contact us today to learn more!
