Being diagnosed with scoliosis can come with many questions. Oftentimes, parents wonder if their child can still participate in sports. In short, yes! The Hey Clinic team agrees that any physical activity is better than no physical activity. Many of our successful conservative or surgical patients still participate in sports while being mindful of their postural corrections and techniques on how to keep their spines strong while doing the sport or hobby they love.
Are there sports that are better for scoliosis than others?
Any sport or repetitive motion that compresses or twists the spine are generally positions that patients with scoliosis should avoid. Sports that train both sides of the body equally are the most optimal for scoliosis patients. Sports like swimming, cross country skiing, soccer, yoga, cycling, and jogging are a few great examples of sports that train both sides of the body equally, keeping the spine safe and decreasing risk of compression or rotation.
Are there any specific exercises that will decrease the risk of scoliosis worsening?
Since every patient has their own individual curve pattern, there is no “one size fits all” exercise for scoliosis but one principle remains the same; elongation! Stretches or exercises that elongate, or lengthen the spine in a safe, non painful way are excellent for scoliosis. The Hey Clinic has highly trained scoliosis specific schroth physical therapists that can help you or your child focus on exercises that help manage their scoliosis. Physical Therapy at Hey Clinic is based on you or your child’s individual curve pattern and lifestyle and we work closely to provide an individualistic home exercise program that can be molded into any patients’ busy lifestyle no matter the age or skill level.
What if I’m not an athlete?
No problem! Schroth physical therapy can be geared towards the many goals of any patient and can improve pain, strength, flexibility, posture, balance, and overall lifelong management of scoliosis. We take pride in our patient education and multidisciplinary approach to assure that patients have an excellent grasp of their condition from their first appointment to their discharge from physical therapy. We understand that every patient may have different goals depending on their age or activity level. Treatment goals may be based on how to sit in school with better posture, how to clean the house without onset of back pain, or how to continue to participate in sports without risk of curve worsening. Call to schedule an appointment with us so we can help you achieve your scoliosis goals!
Date: 2-2-2022
Author: Mariah Cybator, Schroth Physical Therapist
