Scoliosis

Yoga Massage helps untwist unravel and unfurl the spine. We all have curves, twists and adaptations – let’s embrace them and their natures. The spine is an amazing piece of architecture crafted by nature, embuing balanced structure, form and tensegrity, allowing its corresponding qualities of movement.

I used to work at The Disability Foundation in Stanmore, when I first started as a practitioner and fortunately was able to work with many different clients from the London Orthopaedic Hospital, gleaning valuable experience. Many clients had spinal adaptations scoliosis being a common one, in its various differing degrees.

Scoliosis is a spinal formation in the shape of a S or C curve occurring at different vertebral sections and ages, mainly children and female teens from 10-15yrs alongside their fervent soft growth and formulation.

Symptoms include uneven hips, shoulders and waistline axis, depending on the degree of curve, upper back, shoulder and lower back pain sometimes emanating into the legs, as well as difficulty breathing and sitting can be experienced. Causes can include birth defects and genetic conditions, infections, tumours, cerebral palsy and muscular dystrophy.

Treatment in the form of a regular yoga practice and yoga massage can create better alignment, range and movement quality, healthier energetics, less or no pain, good self body image and esteem, thereby reducing the elevated levels of anxiety, depression, anger, aggression and mood disorders often experienced by people with idiopathic scoliosis due also to serotonin and norepinephrine hormone imbalances, as the nervous system (PNS) is calmed and deepened.

The opening, lengthening stretches and twisting mobilisations of the spine implemented within the yoga massage help to create more space for the chest cavity, lungs and diaphragmatic breathing. Thus helping to improve posture, range of movement and ultimately reduce pain, coupled with a regular yoga practise can vastly improve a scoliosis physiology.

After a treatment you can expect to experience initial soreness, as your body is opened and extended. An epsom salt bath after your yoga practise and massage is recommended to reduce and ease any symptoms, then in the net few days a lightness and freedom of movement can be experienced.

Yoga practise and yoga massage are preventative, over time improve physiology and are life enhancing.

With Mary’s kind permission @marypowellyoga I’m showing the difference of her spinal scoliosis curve in a before and after 2yrs solid Ashtanga yoga practice photo. Ashtanga is practiced 3-6x/week, 1.5-2hrs/day and you can obviously see the difference which is phenomenal and graphically shows the positive results of what a regular yoga practice can do!

Nb. Women with scoliosis give birth naturally – I’ve seen this in a few clients, one with severe scoliosis and one who even underwent surgery in her teens with a metal support in the lower spine, affecting the pelvis.

Yoga practice and yoga massage complement physio and osteopathic treatment. Depending on the nature of your curve a brace for corrective support is very helpful – check out www.Londonorthotics.co.uk which are better methods than surgery being the last resort.