Dealing with scoliosis (or any back pain)

and 2 patient examples

The Lord has given me not one, but TWO patients with scoliosis PLUS back pain. It’s been awhile, so I had to google search some stuff to remind me what’s what.

In this post I’ll show you:

• how to treat where you feel pain/stiffness

• daily habits to address that may be contributing to your pain

These aren’t much different than treating “normal” back pain

I’ll point out the minor differences. If this makes sense to you and describes your situation and you are struggling with your pain or your diagnosis, reach out.

Let’s look at these two clients

They are fairly opposite of each other

• 19 year old grocery store cashier muscle pain (ache)

• 50 year old Army guy with nerve pain (numbness and tingling)

How curves are named

There’s a concave side and a convex side.

The concave side is #2 and #3. Easy way to remember this is if you were standing on the 2 or 3, the curve would be wrapping around you like you were in a cave (credit).

Try to mimic the above photo.

• lean over to your right side (for #2)

• now lean over to the left side (for #3)

That was a trick

Its impossible to hold both at the same time UNLESS you move your hips

The only way to KEEP #2 and MAKE #3 is to shift your hips to the RIGHT.

Additionally, these curves usually come with some level of rotation, meaning #2 is not only leaned to the right, but you will be ROTATED backwards as well. The muscles will be stiffer on the concave side as well.

Often times why they hurt (overly sensitive, probably overworked)

How to address it

To address any spine pain I like to “reach and rotate.”

Generally you reach and rotate on ONE side with ONE exercise, but with scoliosis I find you have to REACH on one side and ROTATE on the other. With two different exercises (not at the same time

Here’s a way you can reduce pain in the low back (the concave side)

The painful side is facing up. Then

• bring the top knee towards your chest

• learn your trunk away

• put a pillow under you

• EXHALE 10 times

This immediately reduces the pain for my 50 year old patient.

He also does the table distraction and doorway hanging exercises in our last post

Why Astronauts Don't Have Back Pain

Here’s how to get motion out of the upper back (#2 in the pic)

This is a good place to start, then any type of overhead reaching, like

• 1 arm pull downs

• 1 arm vertical pressing

Change your habits

The 19 year old is rotated back on his right side (and it hurts). His first step is to look at things in his daily life MAKE him do that.

If you’ve ever been to the grocery store, you’ll notice that cashiers are grab from the right and slide it across them.

He will pay more attention to how he’s standing to see if this is an actual issue. Then we will look for new ways to do things.

Summary

When I have clients with similar conditions but a 30-40 year age gap, I think “oh this will be him in 30 years.” My hope is since I am helping the younger patient sooner, that he will be better off in 30 years than the older client.

In reality, there’s no way I know this to be true since there are sooo many factors involved the 19 year old will face in the next 30 years.