by Dylan Bartley, MSPT, CMP
Researchers at Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York produced some promising results in the treatment of scoliosis with just one simple exercise: a side plank. This common yoga pose was performed on the convex side of the curve. So if your scoliosis bows out to the right, you should put your right arm down and lift your right hip up off the floor. They offered variations to accommodate varying levels of fitness and different types of curves. The poses were held for as long as possible, once a day, starting at 10-20 seconds.
To measure the success of their intervention, they took x-rays before and afterwards and measured the degree of curvature in their subjects. After 6 months, they found a significant improvement of an average of 41%. They tried to see if there was a difference between younger subjects and older subjects with more degenerative changes and both groups responded well with no significant difference between the two groups.
Scoliosis is a problem of imbalance and asymmetry that tends to progress as we age and can lead to debilitating arthritis and muscle spasm if it goes unchecked. Over the years doctors have tried to stabilize it with complicated surgeries involving rods or uncomfortable braces. Physical therapists have tried to correct it with stretches and strengthening the core and spinal muscles. It would make sense that to treat this problem of asymmetry one would need to attack it with a set of asymmetrical exercises. Unfortunately, there has been little research to back up these hunches until now.
If you are interested in getting an assessment of your spine to see if you have scoliosis or if you’re ready to treat a scoliosis you’ve always known you’ve had, physical therapy is a great place to start. We can set up a custom protocol that would match your current level of fitness and show you how to progress things as you get stronger. Furthermore, structural factors such as a leg length discrepancy or pelvic/sacroiliac dysfunction can be the driving force behind your scoliosis and may be treatable with physical therapy.
To see the original article, click here
Active Marin Physical Therapy 