Physical therapy is an amazing tool that can help different physical conditions in individuals. It is a great way to heal the body from the inside out without simply covering up the main with medication. A condition that PT is known to help is scoliosis. This blog will explore what scoliosis is and how physical therapy can improve it.
What is Scoliosis?
Before looking into how PT can help scoliosis, it’s important to understand what the condition is that’s being helped. Scoliosis is a condition in which the spine is curved sideways instead of being vertically straight. This curved abnormality can happen in the lower, middle, or upper back and usually develops in adolescence. Most cases of scoliosis are mild, but there’s a chance it can develop and worsen, making it a severe and disabling condition.
Symptoms
Some of the major symptoms that can arise from dealing with scoliosis are:
- Uneven shoulders and hips
- Back muscle spasms
- Protruding ribs
- Back pain and stiffness
- Numbness that travels down the legs
Your spine is responsible for a lot of the movement and mobility of your body, so it is important to care for it as much as possible. This next section will go over how physical therapy Idaho Falls can help get rid of these symptoms.
PT Exercises to Help Scoliosis
Some exercises that can improve symptoms and reduce pain from scoliosis include:
- Cat-Cow: This exercise is done by getting down on all fours, hands, and knees, starting in a neutral position. Then you will roll throuround your back, bringing the head to the chest for the “cat” position. Then you will roll through the spine, arching it slightly as your gaze goes towards the sky, completing the “cow position. This will strengthen your core and back muscles while also improving flexibility to reduce stiffness.
- Pelvic Tilts: This exercise is done lying on your back with your feet planted on the floor. Then you will contract and release your abdominal muscles to create the pelvic tilt motion. This exercise will help strengthen your core and neutralize the spine.
- Bird Dog: This exercise is also done on all fours. From there you will extend your arm and opposite leg at the same time, bring them back to neutral, and repeat on the other side. This is a great exercise to improve posture and equally distribute strength in your back muscles.
It’s important to work with a professional physical therapist to develop a custom exercise plan and to ensure you are performing the exercises correctly.
The Importance of Working with a Physical Therapist to Treat Scoliosis
Though many people deal with scoliosis, no one’s is the same. A physical therapist won’t just give you a one-size-fits-all program. They will create a personalized plan for your specific condition and provide you with insightful tips.
To develop this plan, they will conduct an assessment to get to know your medical history, lifestyle, and degree of the condition. From there they can decide what your plan will consist of. A popular program that physical therapists choose for their patients with scoliosis is the Schroth Method. This program focuses on breathing exercises along with measures that aim to correct and elongate the curved spine. It can still be extremely customizable but gives physical therapists a good framework.
Conclusion
Working with a physical therapist for scoliosis can help reduce pain, correct posture, and alignment, and give you the insight to maintain it in your day-to-day life. Reclaim your life through specialized physical therapy.
