Scoliosis and Exercise

[DrStitzel]

Exercises for scoliosis CAN improve a scoliosis spine!

Scoliosis exercise has been a much maligned topic for most of the recorded history of scoliosis treatment. The prevailing thought that "Exercises for scoliosis can't possibly straighten the scoliosis spine" has been trumpeted by "scoliosis experts" for the better part of the last 463 years (the first metal scoliosis brace was created in 1575 and the first scoliosis surgery was performed in 1865). But, perhaps the instead of asking the question of "why would scoliosis exercise help the scoliosis spine" the question should be "Why wouldn't exercises for scoliosis help the scoliosis spine?" Let apply a bit of logic and good ole fashion brain power to the situation and see what we can come up with.


The Case For "Scoliosis Exercise" Based Scoliosis Treatment

#1.Idiopathic (unknown cause) scoliosis is considered to be "idiopathic" because they have yet to find anything "structurally" wrong with the adolescent idiopathic scoliosis patient's spine. This is very good news, because it means the problem is one of coordinated spinal alignment during periods of rapid growth spurts and not an actual "physical development" problem that can't be altered.

#2.The typical adolescent idiopathic scoliosis patient's spinal curvature begins/progresses at approximately age 12 in correlation with their initial adolescent growth spurt; However, up until that time the patient's spine appears to be pretty much normal. Again, this points to a coordination dysfunction during periods of rapid growth spurts, which is controlled through a complex organization of automatic postural reflexes in the hind brain (back of the head).

#3. These automatic postural control reflexes are not under voluntary control (hence they are automatic) and do not appear to be influenced or trained by intentional/voluntary movement scoliosis exercise. These automatic reflexes can only be stimulated/trained by creating a "reactionary" response to an environmental stimulus that causes the body to shift the head, torso, and/or pelvis back into alignment with each other.

#4. Since these "exercises for scoliosis" (the environmental stimulus) that are causing the automatic postural control centers in the brain to "self correct" the scoliosis spine in relation to gravity, the continued use of these scoliosis exercises multiple times a day for 15-20 minutes per time will gradually create a permanent "training effect".

#5. This "training effect" is a re-coordination of not only the automatic postural control centers in the brain, but also the spinal muscles and feedback systems that help to move and stabilize the scoliosis spine. The neurological re-training effect is considered by most experts to be of a permanent nature, but the spinal muscle training effect may require continual re-training on a weekly basis depending on the age of the patient and severity of scoliosis.

[oldlady]

Dr. Stitzel,
Are you a chiropractor?

[PrestonD]

I never realized that scoliosis was neurological disease. I think the most interesting and compelling thing I read in that article was that the blind are five times more likely to suffer scoliosis. While one can't visit a zero gravity place every day, they could spend time in a pool every day. I wonder if this could help. Would a temporary health insurance Colorado plan cover this type of treatment?

[DrStitzel]

Hi PrestonD,

Thanks for the great comments. Believe it or not, competative swimmers have a higher incidence of scoliosis than non-swimmers, so the hanging out in the pool all day probably won't help.

Be well.