Fitness Center
Welcome to the Fitness Center, where we emphasize the value of physical activities and exercise in taking care of scoliosis. Exercise is essential for reducing tension that frequently accompanies scoliosis, strengthening the muscles that support the spine, and enhancing posture. These workout routines will support you on your path to improved spinal health and general well-being, regardless of your goals—whether you're aiming to increase flexibility, strengthen your core, or lessen discomfort. Explore safe and effective methods for supporting your body and reducing scoliosis strain.
This is only aimed for mild to moderate cases of scoliosis.
Figure 1: Exercise (Modi, Juhi. “Why Do Exercise Needs Vary between Individuals? - BuzzRx.” Buzzrx, Buzzrx.com, 7 June 2022, www.buzzrx.com/blog/why-do-exercise-needs-vary-between-individuals. Accessed 5 Oct. 2024.)
Before starting, it is crucial that you ask your doctor or physical therapist if they believe exercise is appropriate for you, due to the possibility that you may have restrictions, and if you ignore them, you may cause even more damage.
If your case is severe, avoid following any exercise from here, as this page is only aimed for mild to moderate stages of scoliosis.
How does Exercise help with Scoliosis?
You can strengthen your lower back muscles, correct your posture, and strengthen your core by doing these stretches and exercises. This can lessen some of the discomfort associated with having scoliosis.
People with scoliosis should maintain an active lifestyle and engage in back-strengthening exercises since they can help with back discomfort. (“Effective Exercises and Therapies for Scoliosis without Surgery”)
Recommended Sports to Play:
Swimming, Pilates, and yoga are also great for keeping the strength of the back muscles.
Sports to Avoid:
Avoid playing sports like tennis, golf etc, since they overuse one side of the body, as the condition can cause muscle imbalance and make related sore, stiff, and strained muscles painful, as well as limit the muscles ability to support and stabilize the spine. (“Scoliosis Do’s & Don’ts: What to Avoid with Scoliosis?”)
Pelvic Tilts
With your legs bent, lie on your back on the ground. Tighten your abdominal muscles and slightly bend your pelvis to flatten your back against the floor. Hold for ten to 20 seconds. (“Pelvic Tilt Exercise”)
Figure 2: Pelvic Tilts (“Posterior Pelvic Tilt | Summit Orthopedics.” Www.summitortho.com, 24 Feb. 2016, www.summitortho.com/find-care/services-conditions/back-neck-spine/treatments/spine-exercises-library/posterior-pelvic-tilt/.)
Bird Dog
Begin with getting down on your hands and knees on the ground. Make sure your back is straight and your stomach muscles are tight. Lift the leg and arm on the opposite side until they are at the same height as your shoulders and hips. After holding for ten seconds, return to your starting position. Continue with the other arm and leg. Repeat 20 times.
Figure 3: Bird Dog (Bozon, Jenny. “Why You Should Add the Bird Dog Exercise to Your Weekly Core Routine.” Runner’s World, 20 Jan. 2023, www.runnersworld.com/uk/training/cross-training/a42592393/bird-dog-exercise/. Accessed 7 Oct. 2024.)
Cat/Cow Stretch
Place your hands on the ground in front of you while kneeling there. Maintain a shoulder-width distance between your hands and your knees exactly below your hips. Breathe deeply while raising your head, bending your lower back, and tilting your pelvis upward like a "cow." Take a big breath out, draw in your abdomen, arch your spine, and lower your head and pelvis like a "cat." Repeat many times. (“Cat/Cow Pose”)
Figure 4: Cat Cow Stretch (Young. “Cat Cow Stretch Images – Browse 13 Stock Photos, Vectors, and Video.” Adobe Stock, 2024, stock.adobe.com/jo/search?k=cat+cow+stretch. Accessed 7 Oct. 2024.)
Downward Dog
Place your hands and feet on the ground to start. Then lift your hip as far as you are able to. Make sure your looking straight ahead and maintain a straight back and legs. Hold.
Figure 5: Downward Dog (YJ Editors. “Downward-Facing Dog Pose.” Yoga Journal, 15 Nov. 2021, www.yogajournal.com/poses/downward-facing-dog/. Accessed 7 Oct. 2024.)
One Leg Balance
While standing up, raise on of your legs forward till it reaches the hight of your hips, and hold. Swap legs.
Figure 6: One Leg Balance (https://www.facebook.com/verywell. “How to Ease Your Backache with One-Legged Balance Challenges.” Verywell Health, 2015, www.verywellhealth.com/one-legged-balance-challenge-for-backache-296851. Accessed 7 Oct. 2024.)
Upward Dog
On your stomach, lie down on the ground. Press with your hands on the ground beneath your shoulders, hold.
Figure 7: Upward Dog (“Yoga Poses Dictionary | Pocket Yoga.” Pocketyoga.com, 2024, www.pocketyoga.com/pose/UpwardDog. Accessed 7 Oct. 2024.)
Plank
Starting with your hands and toes on the ground, lift your hips slightly to straighten your back and tighten your abdominal muscles and hold.
Figure 8: Plank (“Plank Exercises: What Is the Plank Exercise Good For? | the EvolveYou Blog.” Evolveyou.app, 2024, www.evolveyou.app/blog/plank-exercises-what-is-the-plank-exercise-good-for. Accessed 7 Oct. 2024.)
Side Pull Downs
You will require bands for this exercise. Grip the band with one arm, keeping a great distance between your arm and your body. Pull the band slowly in close to your body as shown in figure 9, while maintaining good posture. Repeat for other arm, and opposite direction.
Figure 9: Side Pull Downs (“Strengthening Exercises | Texas Spine and Scoliosis.” Texasspineandscoliosis.com, 2023, texasspineandscoliosis.com/educational_resources/strengthening_exercises.html. Accessed 7 Oct. 2024.)
Recommended Sports to Play
Figure 10: “Mastering How to Swim Freestyle: Expert Tips for Success.” Aquaartist.co.nz, Aqua Artist Swim School, 5 Aug. 2024, www.aquaartist.co.nz/post/mastering-how-to-swim-freestyle%3A-expert-tips-for-success. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.
• Swimming
Swimming is a highly recommended exercise for scoliosis. It works on the body's muscles, flexibility and it improves posture. In addition, the weightless environment provides pain relief and lessens the pressure on the spine, due to the buoyancy the water gives.
- Swimming Techniques
Freestyle/Crawl
Start on top of the water with your body straight, making sure to look and the bottom of the pool. As you kick with your legs up and down, keep your arms straight above your head. Next, push one arm downwards to your hip and pull is out the water with your arms almost straight. As your arm goes back to the starting position, repeat for the other arm. To breathe, as you pull your arm out of the water you move your head to the side and breathe. As shown in figure 10.
Breaststroke
Staring at the top of the pool, keep your body straight while your arms are straight and your head is facing the floor. Kick your legs to the side, creating a shape of the letter M. After you kick, raise your head above the water while breathing, and move your arms inwards, then go back to the original position. Repeat. As shown in figure 11.
Backstroke
Float on your back at the surface of the water, keeping your arms above you. Kick with your legs up and down, while moving one arm beside you underwater, and raising it from the water meeting the other arm. Repeat for the other arm. As shown in figure 12.
Breathing techniques
Practice breathing in the water by standing or floating upright, taking a deep breath to increase spine flexibility and extend your ribs, and then gently releasing the breath. It helps in the management of scoliosis by strengthening the core muscles and easing pressure around the spine.
Figure 11:Emma-Kate Lidbury, and Emma-Kate Lidbury. “How to Master the Breaststroke Technique.” BODi, 26 July 2022, www.beachbodyondemand.com/blog/how-to-do-breaststroke. Accessed 2 Dec. 2024.
Figure 12: “Backstroke Swim: Over 986 Royalty-Free Licensable Stock Illustrations & Drawings | Shutterstock.” Shutterstock, 2024, www.shutterstock.com/search/backstroke-swim?image_type=illustration. Accessed 2 Dec. 2024.
