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Scoliosis

Scoliosis

Correct Your Posture with Physical Therapy

Is Scoliosis Impacting Your Posture?

Are you living with scoliosis in Johnston and Ankeny, IA? Do you have a loved one living with scoliosis? If so, our physical therapy treatments can help you find relief.

It is no secret that this can negatively impact one’s posture. Your spine has 3 curves, which provide support and flexibility, in addition to protecting the nerves running up and down your spine. 

Ideally, when standing up straight, your neck and lower back should be gently curved in, while your upper back should be slightly curved out. 

However, scoliosis makes it difficult to achieve this type of posture. Fortunately though, at Elevate Physical Therapy, we can make it possible! Contact us today to find out how we can help improve posture.

How do I know if I have scoliosis?

You may be wondering, “how can I tell if my poor posture is due to scoliosis or something else?” If you have not been diagnosed with scoliosis, it can sometimes be difficult to tell. Some of the most common symptoms of scoliosis include:

  • Back pain
  • Rib pain
  • Inability to stand up straight
  • Slight curve in spine
  • Difficulty breathing
  • Protruding ribs
  • Misalignment of the hips and/or shoulders (where one may look to be higher than the other)

How can physical therapy help?

If scoliosis has been impacting your posture, you’re not alone. Poor posture isn’t anything to be embarrassed about – in fact, very few people have perfect posture, and most people partake in bad posture habits in one way or another. It makes it very difficult to maintain proper posture; therefore, physical therapy intervention is often extremely beneficial.

There is no primary cause for scoliosis but once it is present, it will often progress. The curvature in your spine will result in asymmetric loading of the vertebrae which will further drive the progression of the curve. Interventions using physical therapy focused on changing these joint forces and loading patterns can help reduce the progression of the curve. 

At Elevate Physical Therapy, our services for correcting impaired posture include:

  • Scoliosis Specific Exercise (SSE) inspired by the Schroth Method for three-dimensional postural correction
  • Postural Education
  • Home Exercise Program
  • Stretching (of tight muscles)
  • Strengthening (of weak muscles)
  • Positional Traction (to align the vertebral bones)
  • Manual traction (to straighten the spine)
  • Joint mobilization (to improve joint space)
  • Stabilization Exercise (to improve the stability of spine)
  • Spinal Decompression (if any signs of disc involvement in scoliosis)

We use the Schroth Method: Specialized Treatment for Scoliosis

Scoliosis is three-dimensional and requires treatment in more than one plane of motion. The Schroth Method allows for three-dimensional correction of the curvature using scoliosis-specific exercises. These three-dimensional exercises will be focused on elongation, centralization of the spine, and de-rotating using corrective breathing techniques. The goal is to restore muscular symmetry and postural alignment to help slow the progression of the scoliotic curve.  

Begin your treatment plan today with a Scoliosis Assessment 

Our physical therapists will start with an individualized evaluation looking at more than just the curvature of your spine. They will examine your body’s flexibility, strength, and overall muscular control. An Adam’s Forward Bend will be conducted to determine the presence of scoliosis by assessing potential asymmetry of the shoulders, shoulder blades, rib cage, spine, pelvis, and hips. This thorough evaluation will allow for the therapist to treat the whole patient to help improve mobility, stability, posture, decrease pain, and improve overall function. 

At Elevate Physical Therapy, we are dedicated to helping you achieve proper posture. Contact us today to schedule a consultation and get started!