Scoliosis Relief: Simple Exercises You Can Do at Home

There are two main types of scoliosis - one can be improved and the other not so much. Both types of scoliosis however, should be exercised to avoid further progression and chronic pain. 

A non-structural scoliosis can improve with exercise and treatment. Unfortunately there are not many practitioners qualified or even aware that such treatments and structural exercise programs exist, and as a result you will frequently read that: “Exercise programs have not been shown to keep scoliosis from getting worse.” This simply isn't true. 

In this lecture I am going to address this question head on, once and for all. Who should DEFINITELY wear a back brace and who should NOT! What kind of brace is acceptable and what type of treatment and clinical observation should accompany the wearing of a spinal brace.

When our posture strays from the acceptable range of normal, as it does with scoliosis, there is unbalanced loading on our tissues and joints, creating excess strain on our body tissues and over time, this can lead to chronic muscle pain. In this lecture you will learn what is causing your pain and how to reduce or prevent it from getting worse

Scoliosis involves spinal bending either to the right or to the left, and also the rotation or twist of the vertebrae themselves. As the vertebrae twist or rotate, the ribs that attach to each vertebra are dragged along, causing the ribs on one side of the body to push backward giving the characteristic rib hump appearance. This lecture shows you the process of rib humping on video, to help you visualize your own spine.

Curves greater than 20% are three times more likely to progress! Further progression of the curve is unlikely once spinal growth has stopped (age 25). But later in adult life degeneration of the bones and discs due to the imbalance in the body, may allow the curve to increase up to a further 15 degrees. 

In this lecture we discuss the potential long-term complications and how best to avoid curve progression.

This lecture is for those of you with a thoracic scoliosis - curvature to the right side.

This is a fun lecture. Grab some colored markers and a large sheet of sketching paper. You are going to draw your own scoliosis and this visual will help you when we begin the rehab section of the course; when it helps to be able to visualize your own unique shape.

This lecture is for those of you with a thoracic scoliosis - curvature to the left side.

This is a fun lecture. Grab some colored markers and a large sheet of sketching paper. You are going to draw your own scoliosis and this visual will help you when we begin the rehab section of the course; when it helps to be able to visualize your own unique shape.

In scoliosis, the vertebrae rotate and twist causing the spine and chest to rotate. This changes the volume available to the lungs and thus affects our vital lung capacity - the ability of the lungs to take in oxygen. In this lecture you will learn how to measure your own vital lung capacity. Use this test to monitor your improvement throughout the course. 

* You need a long piece of string (and ruler) or tailor's measuring tape for this lecture.

The exercises in this course are not suitable for anyone:

1. With a history of spinal surgery (fusions in particular)
2. Harrington Rod implants
3. Osteoporosis
4. Advanced osteoarthritis 
5. Advanced degenerative disc disease  

Please do have a listen to my safety audio before starting the course. If you are anything like me, you might be tempted to jump straight in, and I don't want you to injure yourselves. If you are unsure if this program is suitable for you, talk to your healthcare provider before doing ANY of the exercises on this course.

Fitness and health information presented on these pages is intended as an educational resource and should not be used for the diagnosis or treatment of medical conditions.

Exercise is not without its risks and our or any other exercise program may result in injury. Consult your physician or health care professional before performing any of the exercises described on these pages or any exercise regimen, particularly if you are pregnant, nursing, elderly, or if you have any chronic or recurring conditions.

If at any point during your workout you begin to feel faint, dizzy, or have physical discomfort, you should stop immediately and consult a physician.

The editors, authors and or publishers of this course are not liable or responsible to any person or entity for any errors contained in this course, or for any special, incidental, or consequential damage caused or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly by the information contained within.

Consult a doctor or other health care professional for diagnosis and treatment of medical conditions.

This exercise is for anyone with a single curve lumbar scoliosis (right or left side) or anyone with an s curve double scoliosis - thoracic + lumbar. You will need a small towel and a chair before beginning the exercise.

This lecture will begin to break up the stiff joint adhesions that prevent good flexibility and movement in your chest and ribcage. Use the wedge only if you have an S-shaped scoliosis.

This lecture is for anyone with a thoracic scoliosis - either left or right.

You will need a foam roller and/or a large rolled towel before you begin. This exercise is designed to stretch the chronically tight muscles found in the concavity of a thoracic scoliosis. Review Section 3, if you have forgotten the difference between concavity and convexity.

When we stretch a thoracic curve to the right (or an S Curve right) we open up the curvature by stretching the muscles on the concave side/s - review Lecture 10  if you need to.

When we stretch a thoracic curve to the left (or an S Curve left) we open up the curvature by stretching the muscles on the concave side/s - review Lecture 10  if you need to.

When we strengthen a thoracic curve to the left (or an S Curve left) we open up the curvature by strengthening the muscles on the convex side/s - review Lecture 10  if you need to.

When we strengthen a thoracic curve to the right (or an S Curve right) we open up the curvature by strengthening the muscles on the convex side/s - review Lecture 10  if you need to.

When we strengthen a lumbar scoliotic curve we open up the curvature by strengthening the muscles on the convex side in order to improve/reduce curvature and provide greater lower back stability.

Scoliotics generally have abnormal breathing patterns and scoliotic curves lead to chest deformities that can decrease the space in the body for vital organs such as the lungs and heart. The reduction in space can compromise a person's ability to breathe (vital lung capacity) and for the heart to function properly. In this lecture I teach you how to breathe into your scoliosis. The results of this exercise can be quite amazing over time!

Use this crib sheet to remember the order of the scoliosis exercises. 

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In this lecture, I discuss how to find a good practitioner for your scoliosis. I'll discuss several of the choices available to you. This list is definitely not exhaustive and there are certainly many other health care providers that work with scoliotic clients. We go into quite a bit of detail on the types of treatments you might find most helpful.

Thank you for enrolling in this course. I hope that it proves to be helpful in your journey toward better health. As always, please know that my support does not end here. Post a question within the course at any time - even five months from now, and you will always get a response from me.

If you need more personal support, don't hesitate to email me at ask@posturevideos.com.

Best of health to you going forward. I wish you an attractive, confident, healthy posture!

Dr. Paula Moore