Treatment of scoliosis with strength exercises

Author: Timko Ilya - master of the whole project and fitness trainer.
2011-03-19

Scoliosis is a lateral curvature of the spinal column; it is a condition that is acquired only during childhood. At this age, it can be treated 100%. The older a person gets, the fewer options there are to influence the shape of the spine. After the age of 22, its shape rarely changes significantly. However, with the help of training, even at this age, one can strengthen the muscular corset and alleviate discomfort in the back.

The effectiveness of scoliosis treatment based on age can be roughly categorized as follows:
1. Under 14 years old       up to 100%
2. Under 18 years old       50% - 60%
3. Under 22 years old       30% - 40%
4. After 22       10% - 20%

It is clear that these are very approximate figures, and the effectiveness of treatment largely depends on the stage of the condition.

Strength training for scoliosis at any age pursues three main objectives:
1. Straightening the spine (partially or completely).
2. Preventing further curvature of the spine.
3. Alleviating back pain and discomfort.

Depending on the stage of the disease and the age of the individual, some of these objectives may be achieved 100% or not at all. Generally, the main cause of scoliosis development is a weak muscular corset around the vertebrae. Due to the lack of support, the vertebrae can easily shift to one side. Therefore, strengthening the back muscles is the main tool in the fight against various curves of the spine. And nothing develops muscles quite like strength exercises.

Exercises for Scoliosis

During training, special attention should be paid to the back (30% - 40% of all exercises). However, one should not forget about other body parts. After all, to create a harmonious and beautiful body, focusing solely on the back is insufficient. So, we train the whole body. Each workout should include 3 to 4 exercises for both the superficial and deep muscles of the back.

In our case, all exercises for the back muscles are suitable, whether they involve free weights or machines.

It is worth noting that at the beginning of the training process, it is advisable to perform:

The first two exercises are great because they target almost all the muscles near the shoulder blades (rhomboid, infraspinatus, supraspinatus, trapezius, etc.). Hyperextension (bending over a horse) trains the spinal extensors. These are the deep muscles of the back that lie close to the vertebrae. All four of these exercises are quite simple to perform and can even be given to children without fear of injury.

The earlier a person starts doing pull-ups on a bar, the better. Various pull-up variations should be alternated:

Pull-ups are great for developing back muscles.

As you grow more conditioned, you can add the following exercises to the aforementioned ones:

These exercises are very effective, but they are also quite complex and, if not performed correctly, can be dangerous. You should start with light weights: 10 kg (barbell weight) for women and 20 kg for men. Additionally, you need to ensure that you are performing these exercises absolutely correctly. All exercises should ideally be done in 3 to 4 sets of 10 to 15 repetitions. After each workout, it is necessary to hang on the bar for about 20 seconds to stretch the spine.

In conclusion, I would like to note that I have had scoliosis since I was 8 years old. I started training with weights at the age of 14. Do I still have it? I don’t even know. Maybe something remains. But my back feels great.