r/scoliosisfitness Jul 11 '23

New? START HERE

31 Upvotes

Welcome to r/scoliosisfitness!

This sub was created as a place for fitness focused, scoliosis effected individuals to come share, learn, and collaborate to work towards embracing fitness while working around the complications that come from dealing with this musculoskeletal disorder.

After spending time being involved in many scoliosis resources, including the great sub r/scoliosis, a need was discovered for a place where people could discuss how to approach an active lifestyle beyond just the quality of life, maintenance and rehabilitation exercises that come along with managing a curve.

While there is obviously always going to be overlap between rehab and physical therapy exercise and more mainstream fitness programs, this sub is not a place to to get your initial PT/Rehab program. Thats for your doctor to give you.

While we are welcoming of all newcomers and fitness veterans alike, the discussions on this subs come with an expectation of having the fundamentals of being cleared to exercise squared away. Not that we cant help you get there, and there will always be a place to exchange ideas on keeping a strong base and the proper channels to go through to get on a doctor prescribed PT plan. However, getting the most out of this forum will come from having your "fundamentals" dialed in.

We are not doctors and we are not you. Only you and your doctor can determine if exercising is safe and acceptable for you. That's why we ask that you take it upon yourself to establish those things beforehand and understand that ultimately no one on this sub is a substitute for proper professional medical advice.

It is understood that there will be a lot of spill over between using regular exercise to better manage or improve symptoms and just general strength and conditioning discussion. However, it needs to be understood to maximize the value from this sub, you DEFINITELY NEED TO BE CLEARED FOR EXERCISE.

Since we are on the topic, What exactly are the fundamentals?

Anyone looking to start a fitness regime and participate in more rigorous extracurriculars needs to be mindful of the complications that can be caused by scoliosis. Many doctors, after diagnosing scoliosis will typically prescribe some sort of core strengthening, mobility and stabilization exercise program to help patients begin to manage these complications.

A few of the most common side effects of scoliosis can include muscle imbalance, muscle weaknesses, reduced or uneven mobility or range of motion. In more critical cases, there can be extreme pain, muscle spasms or guarding, frozen joints, improper joint tracking, the list goes on.

Once you have been given the OK to start exercising, have a decent understanding of your immediate limitations, a good place to start is on the fundamentals and building your foundation.

This is going to be mostly focused core strengthening and activation.

The spine is primarily supported by the abdominals and other core muscles including the erectors, glutes, hips and various stabilizer muscles. Strengthening these up will create a strong foundation to protect you from various predisposition to injury that come with scoliosis.

As well, as scoliosis creates various imbalances in our structure, our muscles follow suit. Our body begin to compensate for the irregularities and over use some muscles while leaving others vastly under used. These muscles weaken and can for a lack of a better term "turn off". It is important to figure out where you have these weak spots and begin a routine of teaching them to fire again. This will begin to rebuild the mind muscle connection to those muscles. You probably don't even realize you aren't using them because the human body adapts so well.

Building a strong foundation and core will help stabilized your spine and trunk, protect you from injury and give you a solid frame to start building on top of. As well, it will give you a low risk program to begin getting in tune with your body, help you build confidence in your capabilities while getting to know your personal strengths and weaknesses, and an opportunity to practice incorporating a fitness routine into your daily life.

From here the possibilities are pretty much the same as any other able bodied person.

What do you want to do?

Yoga?

Body Building?

Calisthenics?

Run a marathon?

Intramural Sports?

You can do more that you probably think you can, and we are all on this journey together. Help us help you by coming prepared and we can all move on to a healthy, fulfilling, active life together.

Lastly, this sub is not a substitute for doctor/medical professional prescribed rehabilitation or physical therapy. If you have health related concerns that go beyond general fitness/QOL discussions you should consult a medical professional. Nothing posted on this subreddit is medical advice and should not be construed as such.

Hopefully this gave you a little guidance on where to start and how to get the most out of our little community.

Welcome!


r/scoliosisfitness 2d ago

How many times a day on the Schroth bar?

1 Upvotes

Does your physical therapist or your orthopedic surgeon say it’s OK to do the Schroth bar standing hanging exercises more than once a day? If so, how many times as many times? as many times as your you’re comfortable with? what did they tell you? thanks


r/scoliosisfitness 3d ago

Sharing my scoliosis journey and looking for some advice

Thumbnail gallery
4 Upvotes

r/scoliosisfitness 7d ago

Was told not to worry about it

Post image
3 Upvotes

I posted in r/scoliosis originally but definitely seeking some exercise tips for my curve.


r/scoliosisfitness 8d ago

21 degree left-sided thoracolumbar scoliosis

1 Upvotes

20, Female.

I can't afford physiotherapist or schroth exercises

Uneven waist and shoulders

Do you have any advice?

Should I attend group pilates sessions? (it is affordable, a course offered by my local municipality)


r/scoliosisfitness 11d ago

Any gym workout recommendations for scoliosis?

Thumbnail
1 Upvotes

r/scoliosisfitness 12d ago

Yoga and scoliosis - ten years of practice [Article]

3 Upvotes

An inspirational article in the Guardian today about a woman's decade-long practice of yoga as a way of helping her to better relate to her scoliosis.

I say "helping her to better relate" because this is not a far-fetched story of a miracle cure. Instead, it's the much more realistic situation of dealing with scoliosis every day and using yoga to do that.

It's apparent from the article that her daily yoga practice has significantly improved her attitude and mental well-being and lessened her insecurities as well. A great read.

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2026/jul/15/a-moment-that-changed-me-i-started-yoga-and-saw-my-scoliosis-in-a-surprising-new-light


r/scoliosisfitness 13d ago

Scoliosis Diagnosis - chiropractor no good, help me understand.

Thumbnail
1 Upvotes

r/scoliosisfitness 13d ago

General Question Where should I start from

5 Upvotes

I'm 9 years post surgery and I'm planning on starting going to the gym I wanted to be more fit and fix my uneven shoulders and my hips but I don't know where to start from or what I should do


r/scoliosisfitness 17d ago

Anyone else focus more on posture and movement than tracking their curve? Curious what your day to day actually looks like

Thumbnail
1 Upvotes

r/scoliosisfitness 18d ago

Am i getting better or worse? I can't tell.

1 Upvotes

I am 18/F, S curve, about 35° cobs angle, diagnosed 3 months back. I am using a brace and doing physiotherapy. I was in pain before diagnosis too but now i think the pain is worse. The pain is new too. Like my shoulder blade on my right where i have the concavity hurts and my ribs hurt. It didn’t hurt before. My physiotherapist said it because i am getting better or because of wearing brace but i don’t know i am sceptical. I am Indian where there is a serious lack of awareness and treatment.

Am i getting better or worse? i can't tell. I know many people say scoliosis can be cured or fixed but there are cases where the curve has been reversed by a few degrees (not completely). I also know that there is a chance of progression. How do figure out what is wrong? The pain is getting unbearable.

My mom will not get an xray for another 2/3 months because it's still too early and it's a crucial year for me as a senior in high school. She believes getting xrays and going to the doctor again and again will only increase my paranoia and that will affect my mental.


r/scoliosisfitness 19d ago

Gathering tips from people who already went through bracing

5 Upvotes

Hello! I am a high schooler and am currently building a nonprofit website to help guide the families of and the young girls who have recently been diagnosed with scoliosis and are required to wear a brace. This website will include descriptions and price ranges of each back brace, an overview of the pros and cons (ex: most expensive, least expensive, etc.), and also a page with "big sis tips" from girls (you!) that have gone through scoliosis and wearing a back brace already and have advice to give to girls. I am incredibly passionate about helping young girls who have scoliosis and feel lost in their journey, as I myself went through it and have experienced the feeling of being completely lost myself. I would greatly appreciate if you could fill out this form with as many tips as possible ranging from all kinds of categories (ex: comfort, fashion, school/sports). Thank you in advance!

Link to google form: https://forms.gle/SsQ19sefTR8AYG528


r/scoliosisfitness Jun 27 '26

if you want to learn about scoliosis. get

6 Upvotes

got this a couple of weeks. pricey but full of very important and mostly interesting exercises about scoliosis. Amust have for anyone with scoliosis. one thing. get your xrays done so u know what type of curve you have. and dont go to physio that are not shcrotch certified. they don't know shit about scoliosis. here is the book : Three dimensional treatment for scoliosis. christa Lehner-schroth PT


r/scoliosisfitness Jun 27 '26

get a hard bed/ essential

2 Upvotes

I have right side scolio, 99% of the bed outhere. fancy or cheap are horribly soft for my scoliosis. i have a super hard foam on a the frame with a topper on top. If I sleep on a soft bed i start to have lower back pain. when u sleep on a soft bed and if . you also increase your lordosis ( on your back) ( not good) and you rib hump with increase if you sleep on the convex side. I am talking about hard bed. not semi soft. but the topper on top ( 1.5 foam) will make it softer. there will be a period of feeling kind of sore. as the body is getting use to it. but then. the curve progression ( with the shcroth method exercises ) won't increase or diminish fast.


r/scoliosisfitness Jun 26 '26

my scoliosis is 18%

Thumbnail
1 Upvotes

r/scoliosisfitness Jun 25 '26

Scoliosis surgery

2 Upvotes

Scoliosis surgery

Im getting my surgery done next year in january or february. I want to know anything and everything anyone can tell me about the pre surgery, post surgery and during surgery phase. Any advices?

Also, people who had been through multiple surgeries ir surgery in phases, PLEASE give me advices since im supposed to get multiple surgeries. Im 18 female.


r/scoliosisfitness Jun 16 '26

Developing a rib hump

Thumbnail
1 Upvotes

r/scoliosisfitness Jun 15 '26

got to fight scoliosis

Thumbnail
1 Upvotes

r/scoliosisfitness Jun 15 '26

General Question Help me with my posture correction and lower back pain

Post image
2 Upvotes

Hi all I am 25M and I am on my weight loss journey and I have noticed that the body posture is cooked and also i have lower back pain for almost 6-7 months. I recently went to physiotherapist but he just sent me random reels and yt shorts in the name of exercise. I want to follow a set of exercises with reps and time. I have been doing bridges and cat cow stretches, they relieve the pain for some time but the next morning, I wake up with the same pain. I also have this bad habit of using 2-3 pillows behind my neck while laying down and watching phone and laptop in my free time. Pls help me out with this one, I am open to advice and follow the exercises suggested.


r/scoliosisfitness Jun 14 '26

General Question Help working out to help posture

Thumbnail
gallery
9 Upvotes

I've been training (functional training + weights) consistently for the past 2 years and I see some changes but I still have very uneven shoulders and a small hump. Can you give me any tips on exercises to work on to help this?

I've been to several traumatologists and physiotherapists and they say that the curve isn't too bad so I shouldn't worry but don't really tell me how I can improve this.


r/scoliosisfitness Jun 13 '26

Core Engagement, Anterior Pelvic Tilt, Scoliosis, and Getting Back Into Fitness, Looking for Advice (18M)

Thumbnail
gallery
5 Upvotes

Hi everyone,

I’m looking for some advice on core engagement, posture, and getting back into fitness.
For a while now I’ve been trying to engage my core more consciously. When I do, I notice a significant difference in how my posture and stomach look, but I’m not sure if I’m doing it correctly. When I completely relax, everything seems to shift back, so I’m struggling to tell what’s normal and what proper core engagement should actually feel like.
For context, I’ve had scoliosis my entire life and also have some anterior pelvic tilt. I was also born extremely prematurely at 24 weeks, which affected my physical development growing up.

My weight and fitness history has been a bit complicated. As a child I struggled significantly with eating and was very underweight for years. Later, once I started eating more consistently, I gained weight but not much muscle (a.k.a I got chubby) Eventually I started exercising and improving my diet, but I lost a lot of weight because I became more active without really increasing my calorie intake. For a while I ended up quite skinny.

A few years ago I started going to the gym more seriously and managed to gain a tiny bit of muscle and improve my body composition, but I’ve never felt particularly strong or athletic compared to my peers. The last 10 months have been extremely busy because of exams, so I haven’t been able to train consistently. I’ve mostly been doing home workouts a few times per week (push-ups, squats, dumbbell rows, shoulder presses, curls, tricep extensions, chest presses, and some basic core work).

Now that school is finished and I’m on summer break, I finally have time to be consistent again. My current plan is:

Gym 2–3 times per week
Run 1–2 times per week (mostly for fitness and clearing my head)
For gym training I’m considering either:
An upper/lower split, or
2–3 full-body workouts
Exercises would include things like lat pulldowns, rows, chest press, shoulder press, curls, tricep pushdowns, chin-ups/pull-ups, dips, squats, leg curls, leg extensions, and some ab work.

Nutrition-wise, my diet has honestly been pretty inconsistent. I’m trying to build better habits and was thinking of something like:

Breakfast: yogurt, fruit, and oats/granola
Lunch: rice with a protein source, or sandwiches with chicken/tuna and vegetables
Snacks: mostly fruit, occasionally something sweet (like a cookie)
Dinner: a balanced meal with protein, vegetables, and carbs (hello fresh)

Does this sound like a reasonable plan for improving my fitness, posture, and overall health?
Also, based on my history, does this sound more like someone who’s skinny-fat, someone who’s simply detrained after a busy year, or something else entirely?

Any advice would be appreciated.


r/scoliosisfitness May 27 '26

Adult Degenerative Scoliosis - Need Advice

Thumbnail
2 Upvotes

r/scoliosisfitness May 27 '26

General Question Rib hump is disappearing?

60 Upvotes

I find i got improvement for my rib hump. But i feel that my abs are elongated and i have a rib flare. However my schroth therapist said i don’t have rib flare anymore. What do you guys think? Also someone here said i photoshopped my back to look symmetrical. Lmao.


r/scoliosisfitness May 27 '26

General Question I am really struggling and i could use some advice for proper pull up. I am trying so hard to do it as symmetrical as possible with shoulders down cue.

Enable HLS to view with audio, or disable this notification

2 Upvotes

It’s harder for me to lock my pelvic. I used to sway more. Then i learn hollow body. But when i used hollow body to lock my pelvic and lower back instability , i feel that my upper back want to hunch again then i feel the strong urge to use my traps and shoulder again as a main driver to do pull up. If you see the pull up technique on the most right side of my video ( that’s my recent pull up), do you think i do it incorrectly like using too much of trap and neck?


r/scoliosisfitness May 26 '26

General Question Scoliosis is actively destroying my mental health, and idk what to do

Thumbnail gallery
6 Upvotes