Physical activity is important for everyone, especially if you have scoliosis. In searching for scoliosis-friendly exercises, it can be frustrating. What I’ve found stressful in the past is focusing on a part of my body that is a source of confusion with a limited (if any) understanding, leading me to avoid working out altogether. I’ve read articles about this or that, but for some reason, they always rub me the wrong way. It’s like they’re too focused on the scoliosis. I don’t want to focus on my condition. I want to learn how to better understand my body so I can modify anything based on a deep understanding of my limitations.
I’ve been protective of my lower spine since I had my lumbar fusion. My behaviors because of this were to avoid any exercise that could bother this area. This resulted in neglecting my back muscles that were really craving (and in some cases, demanding) some love.
When it comes to finding the best exercise, it takes trial and error. I’ve found the importance in making it about having fun while finding what feels right.
How to get over the fear that hinders exercising
This last Autumn I came to the realization that the part of my spine that I so boldly protected and viewed as a point of weakness was in all reality the strongest most stable part of me and sets me apart, not from a stance of weakness, but rather from an enhanced state of strength. I’ve discovered a great deal of stability and alignment that takes very little effort on my part. Yes! Better alignment and strength. I had been thinking about it all wrong.
There was a time when I ran for exercise. I had it in my head that to be a runner would be to join that special group of people that are fit and fabulous. I enjoyed running, but it was taxing. My entire body would get poofy after a run. I now know, after working with an integrative specialist, that this was a response to my body’s autoimmunity that made running strenuous. Running was triggering my body’s inflammatory response. I feel ok running about a mile and can do so without feeling puffy, but any more than that feels out of reach right now. The good news is this has been a motivator to explore other types of exercise. I enjoy practicing yoga, especially yin and hot yoga. I love the lasting effects of Bikram the most. Bikram left me feeling deeply cleansed. Starting a yoga practice along with strength training, I’ve grown stronger throughout my entire body and have seen quite a bit of definition.
Tips and tricks for finding your fit
Join a gym that includes fitness classes like yoga, pilates, barre, Zumba, and kickboxing
This is an affordable way to try a bunch of different exercises and discover the ways your body likes to move. If you’re smiling while you do it, that’s a win!! It’s ok to have fun :) I love Zumba and I feel like a ballerina in barre class.
Participate in a league
Whether you’re a child or an adult, there are leagues to participate in that satisfy the need for community. Club sports for softball, kickball and sand volleyball are a great excuse to get moving and reward yourself with a cool beverage with friends afterward.
Consider working with a trainer
I worked with a trainer for a month earlier this year. I saw him once a week and he tailored my workout to match my body at that point in time. I loved the one-on-one attention that showed me how to get the most out of each move. Learning to listen to my body during these sessions taught me how to better modify when I worked out on my own.
My strength routine:
10 Single leg lifts
1-minute glute bridge hold followed by 10 raises
10 glute bridge marches
(I go through 3 sets of the above items before proceeding to the next)
10 push-ups (3 sets)
Panther planks for 45 seconds
10 Low rows with TRX bands (3 sets)
10 kettlebell sumo squats (2 sets)
Walking lunge across the width of the gym
Gradually cool down the muscles by stretching in the sauna
Closing thoughts
When it comes to the best exercise for scoliosis, the answer is what feels good to your body. If you move in a way that excites your heart, that is the right exercise for you. Something you look forward to. Something you get excited about.
Through yoga, I’ve gained a sense of security and trust in my body along with an increased range of motion. My rheumatologist told me I have good flexibility, which I owe to my yoga practice. Though I still feel my flexibility is awful – for example, I can’t touch my toes with straight legs – it is interesting to see the judgments I make that get in the way of my ability to see things as they are.
After many years in fear of the mystery that is my body, I have gotten to the point where I can say I’m the strongest I’ve ever felt.
What types of exercise have you found yourself enjoying?
