A Personal Story: A Reader's Email About a Child With Scoliosis

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Related Sections from My Web Site: How Exercise Helped My Scoliosis Scoliosis Exercises - Part I - Yoga and the Egoscue Method Scoliosis Exercises - Part II - Stretching, Callanetics and Trigger Point Therapy My complete index of all the scoliosis related pages. Recommended Book: Back Care Basics : A Doctor's Gentle Program for Back and Neck Pain Relief - has a chapter specifically on yoga for scoliosis

Continued from Scoliosis in Children - Part I - An email I received from a parent of a child with scoliosis who is aggressively pursuing non surgical treatment options).

"The underlying premise is that through tension and atrophy, he's managed to re-architect his myofascial structure at a time when it is growing rapidly. Why do braced scoliotics often quickly revert to their curves? I believe it's because this re-education of the fascia has not occurred - together with a lack of strengthening addressed in the next strategy:

www.connectivedynamics.com - startling before/after images

http://erikdalton.com - scoliosis/deep-tissue-massage case study

2. Iyengar yoga - As far as serendipity, it seems no accident that my wife has been working closely with a local yoga center for years and gotten to know a certain instructor there, who by the way has an almost 50 degree uncorrected curve (which started out larger). Ben and I have started taking classes - and in addition to enrolling to lend moral support, I'm actually enjoying it myself. =) The class is only 8 people, and because of their shared experience Ben and this teacher have bonded quickly. We spend at least a half hour after each class getting pro bono instructions on poses to apply traction, to relax and to strengthen.

The rationale behind this particular leg of treatment is one you're well aware of, from reading your website. In addition to the regular stretching, Ben is beginning to develop body awareness he's never had before, as well as strengthening muscles he's been unaccustomed to using.

3. Alexander Technique instruction - With several sources suggesting proprioceptive abnormalities in scoliotics, it seems wise to undertake training aimed at giving feedback about what is straight, and what is curved. Additionally, this addresses the "postural" leg you've mentioned on your site, and which the aussies and japanese continue to advocate for scoliosis treatment. A great benefit is that Ben can use his AT training all day long, as opposed to the other methods which require either a practitioner or a yoga mat.

http://www.somatics.de/ScoliosisPropriocept.html - proprioception and scoliosis

4. Diet - One of our highest priorities is getting the weight off. Ben is working a modified Weight Watchers plan, and is beginning to see results. Additionally, he has begun taking supplements of japanese mushroom formulations and ginseng to aid in neural health, as well as a liquid calcium supplement. An interesting note about the latter: you've mentioned the link between bone density and scoliosis. Either on your site or elsewhere I've also read that increased levels of calcium were found in the muscles of some scoliotics. The herbalist we spoke with recommended this formulation (without the benefit of either of these facts) in part because it's liquid form and its addition of magnesium increased absorption drastically more efficient than standard calcium supplements. It's also been asserted that scoliotics have a lack of magnesium in their diets.

So we have a) scoliotics have low bone density b) scoliotics have low magnesium levels c) calcium is found in high amounts in the muscle tissue of scoliotics, but apparently not in the bone (see a) d) calcium absorption is enhanced by formulation with magnesium. Perhaps there's a metabolic imbalance which prevents scoliotics from absorbing calcium properly?

This email has gotten too long, but I wanted to run past some things I'd bumped into. Thanks again for your great work, and I have your pages bookmarked for easy reference!"

From a concerned parent of a child with scoliosis.

Related Pages in My Site

Scoliosis Brace - a reader letter on why one mother chose alternative treatments over a brace for her daughter with spinal curvature.

Scoliosis: Can Diet and Exercise Help? - Explores the role of diet and exercise treatment. Reviews recent research linking scoliosis to osteopenia and osteoporosis.

Scoliosis Exercises Recommended books and tips. Covers yoga and Egoscue method.

Scoliosis Exercises - Part II - Recommended books and tips. Covers trigger point therapy, Callanetics and stretching.

Yoga for Kids - tips on getting your child motivated to do yoga each day.

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