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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

I started to feel more and more confident that getting pregnant wouldn't make my scoliosis worse. Once I felt ready to welcome in new life, I became pregnant within a few weeks. I did yoga every day for hours during my pregnancy and had a home delivery without complications. My curve didn't worsen; in fact, I had never felt happier or more balanced than I did during those nine months.

The Power of the Breath

When I work with students, I always start with simple breath awareness, because learning about my own breathing patterns made such a difference for me. In the early stages of my practice, I soon discovered that I wasn't breathing into the left side of my back because my ribs and intercostal muscles were compressed. I began to focus on expanding them by breathing into this area. After several months, I noticed that it had made a significant difference in my lung capacity. What's more, by expanding the ribs on the compressed side, I began to feel that my spine was gradually shifting back to center.

Once you understand where your breath is going and where it's restricted, you can direct it into the underused areas during asana practice. The next time you come to your mat, try this simple exercise: Stand in Tadasana (Mountain Pose) and inhale as you sweep your arms overhead into Urdhva Hastasana (Upward Salute). Pause there and exhale completely. Take another deep breath and take notice of where your breath is full and where it's restricted. Does it differ from the right side to the left? From front to back? How about from the top of the lungs to the bottom? Keep breathing as you lengthen both sides of your waist evenly. Now exhale and bring your arms back by your side, but keep your side waist long and your chest lifted. Repeat this a few more times and try to hone your awareness of where the breath flows.

Find Your Vertical Line

The next step is to work on your alignment by finding the vertical line of reference that runs from the crown of your head all the way down to your feet; this is also known as your plumb line. Finding it might be tricky at first. Over the years, your body has probably developed a highly sophisticated system to compensate for its abnormal curves. If there's a major curve to the right, for example, the head often lists to the left. Also, one hip may lift higher than the other, which can bring on pain in your lower back.

Practicing a pose as simple as Tadasana can help you find a more symmetrical alignment. Begin to notice if you're leaning more to one side than the other and try to bring equal weight into both feet. Have your teacher or a friend observe whether your hips or shoulders are uneven. Finally, align your head so that it's perched directly over your pelvis. Don't worry if you feel completely crooked after all these adjustments—your body has been off kilter for a while, so you will need to relearn what it feels like to be on your plumb line. When you learn to align your bones, the surrounding muscles and connective tissue can relax instead of gripping or overworking, and your posture will begin to feel effortless. In each pose you do, remember that the goal is not to imagine that one day your spine will be absolutely straight, but to find a place where there is ease in your body.

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