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Skeletal musculature - is it possible to cure/lessen scoliosis through exercise? (self.askscience)

instantrobotwar が 投稿

ごめんなさい。これは既にアーカイブしてあり、もう投票はできません。

My father suggested that instead of spinal fusion surgery, I strengthen the muscles around my back to form a 'muscle brace' - which he thought would pull my spine back into place. Does anyone (medical professionals, biologists, anatomists) know if this theory has any merit?

I'm 23 (and female), so I've finished growing. Can I still alter my skeletal musculature through exercise enough to have an positive impact on my spine (or it's curvature)?

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[–]AniridiaAnatomy | Radiology 4 ポイント5 ポイント  (2子コメント)

ごめんなさい。これは既にアーカイブしてあり、もう投票はできません。

In short: no.

There are three basic types of scoliosis - idiopathic, neuromuscular, and congenital. I'm assuming you have idiopathic as it's the most common. Bracing is the only non-surgical treatment that has any proved efficacy but is used primarily to stop the worsening of scoliosis while someone is still developing, not once they're reached maturity.

The biggest question I'd ask at this point is how bad is the curvature? If you're at 30 degrees or less, more than likely things won't get worse since you've stopped growing, so if you can handle things as they are now, surgery isn't necessarily mandatory. If you're above 30 and especially 45 degrees, you're likely to get worse even if you've reached bone maturity. In that case fusion will likely be needed.

All that being said, strength and stretching exercises won't hurt (as long as you talk to your doctor first to tell him what you'd like to do), but unfortunately can't straighten a scoliotic spine.

[–]instantrobotwar[S] 1 ポイント2 ポイント  (1子コメント)

ごめんなさい。これは既にアーカイブしてあり、もう投票はできません。

D: I hate to hear this. I have 2 curves, both ~50 degrees. I don't have the insurance/money to get surgery, nor do I want to fuse my spine and destroy my range of motion - when I was close to getting the surgery, I was told I'd be recovering for a year, and I'd never be able to bend a large portion of my back again. It's just not worth it for me. My back hasn't given me many problems, I'm still very active and a gymnast - I'm just afraid of it giving me pain in the future. Thanks for your response, though.

[–]AniridiaAnatomy | Radiology 2 ポイント3 ポイント  (0子コメント)

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I'm sorry to hear about the situation you're in and I completely understand your concerns. Like all decisions, there are pro's and con's to both sides. In your case, you're young, active and relatively symptom-free, so let time decide your next move. There's no need to jump into surgery if the outcome is worse than where you are now. I'd urge you to pay attention to any symptoms that may arise, no matter how trivial, see a physician regularly and keep doing everything you can to make sure your bones stay healthy (keep on a little weight, weight-bearing exercises, vitamin D/calcium and even consider estrogen if your bones are already a little osteoporotic). I hope you remain active, able, and pain-free for a long, long time.

[–]moonguidex 2 ポイント3 ポイント  (2子コメント)

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I have scoliosis. I've tried a few things (hanging upside down, just hanging with weights on my feet and ankles, etc), but they didn't work that well for me. What has worked is relieving stress from the muscles in my back and I've done it by finding a way to "crack" it in such a way that muscles don't bunch up and I get comfortable being upright. I can't explain the bunched up feeling, but I'm sure you know it. I have asked orthopedists about long term damage and they basically say that it might create some discomfort with age, but having a bad posture will have worse implications. If it helps, what I do is keep my feet apart, bracing them, and then swinging my arms until I feel a crack or relief. If I can find a round edged surface with a comfortable height, I run my back through it up and down to find any "kinks". If you are near a bench that has back support, sit down straight and push with your arms to drive your back into the support, stretching it. Basically, massage your back any which way you find comfortable. Of course, exercise is great, but you have to be very careful with it, because muscle damage plus scoliosis will mean severe agony, especially if the problem or the damage is located in the lower back. Definitely keep active. I don't really believe in surgery if I can try some other type of therapy, but I can keep my pain under control, maybe yours is a lot worse. Research and ask around, I don't have enough experience on surgery, even though my family has a huge history with scoliosis. Try things like the ones I mentioned slowly and maybe they will work. Slowly and taking great care, please. Anyway, if it helps, my posture now is great and I definitely look my height now, even if my back looks slightly off with my shirt off. I can feel my back trying to sway me to the side, but through these little exercises and keeping active I can definitely live with this mild discomfort. Now, if the pain is too much and the technology is there, surgery might not be a bad choice. I just wanted to share this with you, because I know how much you're suffering. I'm 32 and it has not affected me in a serious way, aside from discomfort in really long lines or walking uphill. I try to get creative and pick up my nephew and use him as a brace for swinging my back in the way I described above, so at least he has fun with it. I wish there was more I could do to help, but sometimes there are just things in life that bother us that we can't get rid of. Anyway, think that you're 23, by the time you're my age, there will be a better understanding and treatment for your pain. Good luck!

[–][deleted] 0 ポイント1 ポイント  (1子コメント)

ごめんなさい。これは既にアーカイブしてあり、もう投票はできません。

Not sure if this would be helpful - I don't have scoliosis so I can't be sure - But this guy has some great tips (in video format) for mobilizing and loosening muscles all through the body, including the back. The most noticeable benefit I've found is that my muscles are far more relaxed after the exercises. Unfortunately I'm still amazingly inflexible, haha.

Maybe give his blog a search though. One of his most recent exercises (Possibly today even) shows him laying a roller that is like a stick with two balls on either end on the ground, then resting his spine between the balls and kind of working his tissues into them about ten times per thoracic vertebrae. I find stuff like that feels amazing. However, I don't have scoliosis, so maybe it would be awful.

[–]instantrobotwar[S] 0 ポイント1 ポイント  (0子コメント)

ごめんなさい。これは既にアーカイブしてあり、もう投票はできません。

I'll definitely check him out, thanks!