Back to Back

Scoliosis can cause back pain and many other health problems, including shallow breathing, sciatica, headaches, and even insomnia. Yoga not only brings relief but can also help you accept and embrace the body you're in.

By Elise Miller

Structural Versus Functional

There are two types of scoliosis: structural and functional (also called nonstructural). In structural scoliosis, the vertebrae form a lateral curve. In functional scoliosis, a structurally normal spine appears curved because of a structural problem in another part of the body, such as a difference in leg length. A functional curve is usually much less noticeable than a structural curve, since the curvature and rotation are less severe, and in many cases it is reversible. Often it corrects itself on its own, once adolescents have finished growing. But if a functional curve doesn't right itself, it can lead to a structural curve.

A simple way to determine whether someone has structural or functional scoliosis is to look at the spine while he or she stands in a forward bend. This is the standard screening test given to schoolchildren. If a curve is visible when the person is standing, and it then disappears in a forward bend, the scoliosis is functional. If the curve remains and the rotational component becomes more obvious, it's structural scoliosis.

With scoliosis in teenagers, an orthopedic surgeon will typically take x-rays and recommend braces if the curvature is more than 20 degrees. If the curve advances to 45 degrees or higher (in teens or adults), doctors often recommend surgery, according to O'Brien. Orthopedists have been operating on people with scoliosis for decades. Unfortunately, surgery is not a guarantee that the pain will disappear. But whether or not someone chooses to have surgery, developing a consistent yoga practice will help increase breath capacity, decrease the pain, and perhaps even prevent the curves from worsening.

Awareness Brings Hope

When I first meet people with scoliosis, they're often discouraged. Many of them have been told by their doctors that only surgery will relieve their pain or stop the progression of their curves. They often have low self-esteem and try to hide their scoliosis with baggy, loose-fitting clothes.

When they do yoga all this begins to change. Once they start to feel better, my students realize that they can do something to improve their posture, relieve their pain, and feel more centered. As they build their awareness of their bodies, they begin to take what they learn in class and apply it to their activities throughout the day, just as Dee did. When they realize that they have some control over making themselves feel better, they begin to have hope.

I can certainly attest to this. Before I started practicing yoga I had been told by doctors that I shouldn't have children. They were worried that being pregnant could make my curvature worse. My husband and I were both sad and disappointed by this news. But when I found yoga I felt as if I were unraveling layers of tightness that I had developed as a protective shield. As I developed more awareness of the alignment of my spine, I began to feel more energy throughout my body as well as more openness from deep within.

Page 1 2 3 4 5

See All Holistic Healing Articles »