The Scoliosis Handbook of Safe and Effective Exercises Pre and Post Surgery

Caroline Freedman

• Publisher: Hammersmith Health Books
• Year: 2020
• Print ISBN: 9781781611661
• eBook ISBN: 9781781611678
• Topic: Medicine
• Subtopic: Diseases & Allergies

Scoliosis – having abnormal spinal curvature, that is a spine that twists and curves to one side – can affect a person at any age but tends to be diagnosed in rapidly growing teenagers. According to published sources, c.4 in every 1000 children in the UK and Ireland need treatment for scoliosis; many more (c.1 in 110) have the condition but don't need or seek treatment but can be helped by exercise. However, understanding of what exercise is safe and effective with a curved and/or operated-on spine is very limited. Specialist exercise trainer and expert scoliosis patient Caroline Freedman provides a practical, illustrated guide for those who are able to use exercise to alleviate their scoliosis curves and for those who need a more radical solution – surgery – and must modify how they exercise pre- and post-operatively. Patients, their families and movement professionals will find practical, safe, tailored guidance based on specific, long-term experience.

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PART 1

EXERCISE BEFORE SCOLIOSIS SURGERY

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Regular exercise will really help to stretch and strengthen the muscles around your spine, keeping them strong. As a result, posture will improve and you will look and feel so much better. There is no reason why anyone with scoliosis who has not had surgery should be restricted in any way with exercise and so there are not many exercises or activities to avoid. It is a case of listening to recommendations from the consultant, physiotherapist and your body as to what may be comfortable to do. The exercises I have recommended for post scoliosis surgery are also good for strengthening your body generally while living your day-to-day life with scoliosis. So do look at those too (see page 51). The general rule for any exercise program is that if it hurts, stop, or change position.

There are different schools of thought about whether working out one side of the opposing curve of the spine, more than the other, will help to both stabilise and prevent the spine from curving further. Exercise does not prevent scoliosis but it does help with pain, posture, strength, stamina and wellbeing.

Before I had my third surgery my back looked uneven. I tried doing more repetitions on the weaker-looking side of my back to build up the lat muscle (see page 27). I used the lat pulldown machine (see page 76) to do this, with the lightest possible weight on the machine, and performed double the number of repetitions using just my left arm (my weaker side). I then used both my arms to perform more sets of the exercise. After two months my back did look a little more symmetrical due to the build-up of muscle on my left side and I felt stronger. I often apply this method to scoliosis clients to help strengthen their bodies.

Many children and adults who suffer from mild scoliosis through to more severe can feel some level of pain at any point during their lives. A ‘pulling’ sensation across the ribs where the muscles are stretched over the rib hump is often described to me by my scoliosis clients. I also felt the ‘pulling’ sensation before my first surgery. I agree with the professional opinion that exercise helps with pain and not only 33experienced this myself but my scoliosis clients have all reported back to me that their pain levels decreased.

I was advised by my consultant, Mr Michael Edgar, to get super strong before my surgery. I worked out with free weights, resistance machines and body weight. I also attended a variety of fitness classes. It is widely recognised that the fitter you are before surgery, the quicker your full recovery will be. Exercises in the Dos After Scoliosis Surgery chapter (page 51) can also be used for rehabilitation.

DO:

• Exercise as much as you can.
• Keep up with seeing a physiotherapist.
• Keep your back strong.
• If you feel it will help your pain, try having a massage from someone who really knows what they are doing. Research your therapist. Don’t be scared to walk away from someone you feel will do more harm than good.
• If your ribs are very uneven and it is not comfortable to lie flat on the floor, take a small cushion, a wedge or even a soft hoodie to balance your body evenly on the floor. Play around with your positioning to make yourself comfortable.
• Avoid any exercise where you have to put your body further out of alignment.
• Use the mirrors in the gym if you are exercising on your own to check your positioning.
• Be very careful when performing abdominal exercises to keep your legs high so as not to place any extra pressure on your spine.

34I asked personal trainer Julia Blass, who has worked in the exercise industry for over 30 years, for her tips on living with scoliosis and what to do before surgery or if surgery may not be needed. She has scoliosis, but has not had surgery. She is a huge fan of the roller which can be used for pain relief as a massage tool if there are no fusions or rods.

Julia recommends the following for her scoliosis clients:

• rolling from upper to lower spine on your back.
• massaging your hips, lying on your side and rolling back and forth.
• massaging your buttocks by sitting on the roller and moving back and forth.
• lying on your front and massaging your quads back and forth.
• massaging your calves by sitting with your ankles in front on top of the roller and moving them back and forth.

Julia recommends spinal twisting to loosen up the back – with direction from your physio or personal trainer.

TP TRIGGER POINT THERAPY BALL

Again, always check with your physiotherapist.

Julia is a huge fan of these balls. She says they have directly eased the pulling and pain in her back that she gets from her scoliosis.

She uses them to provide direct deep tissue compression similar to a therapist applying pressure during remedial massage.

• Stand against a wall and place the ball where your pain is.
• Roll the ball up and down.

Julia says, ‘It will be painful but then, like magic, you will feel a release of the pain as the muscle relaxes from spasm.’

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PART 2

THE DON’Ts AFTER SCOLIOSIS SURGERY

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Here is a selection of exercises to be avoided or limited if you have had scoliosis surgery.

BACK BENDS

NEVER – and there are no alternatives.

Often practised in yoga, etc.

These are a very bad idea if the spine is fused with rods. This is one of the reasons my first Harrington rod snapped.

SHOULDER STAND

NEVER – no alternatives.

This curves the spine, puts pressure on metal work and fusion and too much pressure on the upper spine, shoulder blades and shoulders. Nothing beneficial will result from performing this.

Shoulder stand

HEAD STAND

NEVER – no discussion, no advice, no alternatives.37

FULL NECK ROLLS

NEVER – no discussion, no advice, no alternatives.

Why? Often T1 (the first thoracic vertebra, at the top of the back) is the only verte...

Table of contents

• Praise
• Title Page
• Dedication
• Contents
• Acknowledgements
• Foreword by Liz Bord
• Foreword by Zeinab Choudray
• Introduction
• Terminology
• Getting started
• Part 1: Exercise before scoliosis surgery
• Part 2: The don’ts after scoliosis surgery
• Part 3: The dos after scoliosis surgery
• Pregnancy and scoliosis
• Tips – A–Z
• Conclusion
• Exercise index
• General index
• Copyright