Scoliosis can be front-to-back curvature or side-to-side (also called lateral.) This article is about the side-to-side curves.
These excessive curves in your spine can be caused by a few different things.
1. One or more bones in your spine may never have formed quite properly and that causes a “tilt” in your spine.
2. One of your hip bones or leg bones is bigger or longer than the bone on the opposite side.
3. Your muscles, for one reason or another, are pulling you into a sideways tilt. This is the most common reason.
Let’s talk about Number 1.
If you have a mis-shapen bone in your spine, you may find that the same things that help Number 3 will help you. You may have to take self-help steps more frequently but massage and stretching can make a big difference in your comfort.
What about Number 2?
If your hip bone is smaller on one side than the other, sitting on a “lift” or padding will help level you when you are seated and putting a “lift” or raising the sole of your shoe on that side will help when you walk. You might be able to figure out how much height you need or you may need professional help to measure.
And Number 3?
Number 3 is the most common cause of scoliosis and that’s good news. Why?
Because muscles can be treated! 🙂
Lots of times we just get into habits that cause the muscles on one side of our spine to shorten. We work in a certain way, or sit or drive in a certain slouch or position, or hold a child on one hip for hours and hours.
There are many things we can do to cause muscle imbalance. Even an injury to muscles can cause scoliosis.
Can you get those muscles back to normal and get rid of the scoliosis? Probably.
Does it take some work on your part? Yes.
Are you worth it? Of course, you are!
I’d like to invite you to visit Knots In Your Back It’s a program I created for you that explains many of the causes of upper back muscle spasms and how to get rid of them naturally.
It turns out that many of these same causes as muscle knots in your upper back can be at the root of your scoliosis.
The therapy that I had to get rid of my own scoliosis helped me develop the Knots In Your Back program. I’d like to share that knowledge with you.
Sometimes it’s hard to find a really skilled muscle therapist who can help you get rid of your scoliosis. Sometimes you have to be your own therapist.
And I would like to remind you that I am not a doctor–not even close. (Awww. That just reminded me of someone from an underdeveloped country wrote to me. She said, “If you are not a doctor, then what shall I call you? Because you are the only one who has helped me get rid of my pain.”) <3
But here is something doctors often say that is not true: “Scoliosis is idiopathic.” That means it has no known cause. Little could be farther from the truth; almost everything has a cause. That’s how bodies work.
That means if you get rid of the cause you will have a very good chance to get rid of your scoliosis naturally.
