Nutritious Movement for Scoliosis

movement for scoliosis

A sedentary lifestyle is not good for anyone, and especially those of us with scoliosis. This lack of movement can contribute to chronic pain.

I was listening to a podcast this week and it introduced me to this concept of nutritious movement. My ears immediately perked up because this was a new concept for me.

As a fused scoli patient, I picked up some habits that were necessary at one point as I healed from surgery, but I never really put much thought into how these habits may be present today. I’m finding it’s time for me to give myself permission to let go of deep-seeded fear and move the way my body, soul and heart LOVES.

Checkout the podcast here:

Pheonix Helix Podcast | EPISODE 155: NUTRITIOUS MOVEMENT WITH KATY BOWMAN

The thought of going for walks always sounded so boring to me. As far as exercise goes that is. How does it even count as exercise? I didn’t understand it until recently. It was like a switch got flipped within me. I’d been conditioned to believe that I need to really push myself and sweat profusely to get a “good” workout or at a minimum, exert a significant amount of effort that I can feel (and maybe even be sore from).

There was a phase in my life (my 20s) when I did the Insanity workouts with Shaun T from Beach Body (heart him). I’ve also run 5ks. Unfortunately, my body repeatedly told me it didn’t like this kind of activity, and not knowing any better, I continued to push. The result? The best way I can put it is I’d get really puffy after a workout. It was bizarrely discouraging. It made me dislike working out because I liked how my body looked better when I didn’t work out than when I did.

A few years ago now, I was seeing an integrative practitioner, and after seeing the high number of antibodies in my lab work, her recommendation, in addition to eliminating all trigger foods, was “no running” and no strenuous physical activity of any kind. She suggested restorative exercises, like yoga.

About a year ago I was talking to the guy from The Scoliosis Gym who had the same response about running. According to him, because of where my fusion is, running is a no-go. So now I had 2 people in two completely different contexts telling me the same thing. And that was in addition to the negative reaction I’d noticed in my own body.

My bonus mom goes for daily walks and has been a voice of loving encouragement for me to go for a walk and look at it as time dedicated to myself. This means no Henry (my little fur buddy).

I’ve been going on walks for several months now and I have noticed a drastic shift in my mood for the better. I’m happier on days I go for my walk versus days that I don’t. I still take Henry on his walk, but our walks are distinctly different, and both noticeably better.

Nutritious Movement Gear

I travel very light when I go for my walk, but there are a few essentials I’d like to share with you.

Walking Shoes
The first is my walking shoes. I wear Xero shoes that are known for best mimicking walking barefoot to promote the body’s natural movement. I love these shoes so much I became a Xero Shoes affiliate and may receive compensation for referring the Xero Shoes brand.

Toe Spacers
Sometimes I wear my Correct Toes toe spacers to help my feet be in alignment

Podcasts
I take my phone with me and listen to a podcast. I rotate between a couple of podcasts that inspire me and put me in a growth mindset.

My walks normally last for an hour. More often than not, I walk by my home, but sometimes I go to a nice park to enjoy a little hike surrounded by trees. Even though it isn’t a strenuous workout, I am finding that stretching afterward is a very good idea ;)

Have you ever thought about how your movement may be nourishing your body? What are some activities you enjoy?

Want to enhance your movement? Try this:

When diffused, peppermint essential oil can boost energy before a workout. Diluted peppermint oil can help relax muscles after a workout!