Reversing Scoliosis

Check out this article from last summer. Also if you scroll down and look on the right, there are several more articles on helping with your scoliosis!

Click here -> LIVESTRONG ARTICLE

I took this photo of my back shortly after showering on 7.12.2010 - I can clearly see a difference. Can you?

See older pics of my back here.

I'm sure a lot of you have already read these articles, but I came across them and found them quite interesting.

Interesting
Also Interesting

Thanks everyone for reading and trying this out. If anyone has been using these methods and getting results, please post in the comments section of this lens! Patience and persistence are your only friends in this game!

Adam

Ok, so you were diagnosed with scoliosis.

What does this mean? Well it depends on the situation. If you have congenital scoliosis, that means you were born with malformed or incorrectly spaced vertebrae. Non-congenital scoliosis is when you have a curvature of the spine (with normal shaped bones), and is usually referred to as idiopathic scoliosis.

Idiopathic means "not knowing" [where the scoliosis came from]. I have a theory on this, but I suppose that's all it is. I personally believe that some (if not more) forms of idiopathic scoliosis is an imbalance in in the muscular system. These imbalances could have come from a previous injury, trauma, daily routine, etc. I think this is why idiopathic scoliosis is so hard to pinpoint, because sometimes it can be a combination of several factors going on in your life over a period of time.

I know this theory does not apply to everyone. Maybe not even 5% of you, but I'm hoping a few people can benefit from this idea. I'm not saying this is an original idea, but since I've started my entire self-physical therapy, I've based it all off of one single hope: The spine naturally wants to extend into a straight line; there are just some muscles keeping it from doing so. After I believed this, I believed in inversion therapy.

I have a few traumatic experiences in my early life that I think may have caused my scoliosis: Dropped on head at 1 year old from an older cousin. Nearly fell down a well at age 8 (I hit my back on the inner rim of the well, caught myself with my elbows, and hoisted myself out with the aid of a nearby bush.) I've also been in several car accidents.

When traumatic things happen to your body, some muscles 'lock up' and never release. At first this isn't that big a deal, but over time these seized muscles prevent other muscles from performing their function fluidly, which makes them more susceptible to injury, and the cycle continues. Furthermore, when muscles don't move as they should, the skin stops sliding and actually adheres to the muscle beneath it. This further restricts movement, et cetera. A good approach to the skin-sticking-to-the-muscle problem is using various forms of myofascial skin rolling, cupping, or any other way to physically start to remove the skin from the muscle. It hurts.

With a system of pulleys contracting on the skeletal framework over time forces the spine into contorted positions, as there isn't enough room left in the body cavity to allow the spine to stretch to its full length.

I hope some of you think about these ideas and make some progress along the way.

My X-Ray showed an S shaped curve down my spine with a 10 degree curve in my thorax and a 12 degree curve in my lumbar. I stared at the lightboard floored. "How could I have this problem?" "I'm only 27 years old," I thought to myself. Then I began to wonder how long it'd been that way.

This certainly explained a lot. Why I was never able to do a cartwheel. Why I had a hard time touching my toes or putting my shoes on. Why my shoulders had limited movement. Why I walked like a duck. Why my head recessed into my neck like a turtle and gave me a double chin.

My entire body was in pain and I had no clue.

As I continued with my massage therapy, stretching, and chiropractics for a short while longer, I started to feel the ball of nerves that was me begin to unravel. Imagine your back as a nice taut, flat piece of paper resting on a table. Now place your palm flat on the sheet. From here, if you were to make a fist, wadding up the paper into your palm, you would have a good idea of how my back has felt. The entire reversal process I have been going through for the past couple of years has been the slow uncrinkling process of flattening out my back once again.

I only visited the chiropractor for a couple of months after finding out about my situation. I did not have insurance and could not afford regular sessions with the clinic. So as usual I took matters into my own hands. At this time I had also stopped seeing my massage therapist.

The series of stretches and exercises I have used to help my situation are here:

• Isometrics
  
• Swedish Exercise Ball
  
• Inversion Table
  
• Foam Roller
  
• Foam Semicylinder
  
• Tennis Ball
  
• Practice Softball
  
• Heat Pads
  

Combinations of all of the above.


DISCLAIMER: I am not a doctor, nor a licensed individual in the field of massage therapy, or chiropractics. I am just a person who has felt the crushing pain of my own body beginning to cave in on itself, and the nagging, gagging feeling I get when I wake up in the mornings, and the fatigue I feel throughout most of the day because my body is just so taxed that all I want to do is rest. This blog is about how I ran as fast as I could from this debilitating situation.

I'm sure this stuff is different for everyone. Scoliosis is one of those weird things where people don't know where in the world it comes from, and how or if you can get rid of it. If I had gone to see a doctor for my problem, he probably would have said it is too late for me at my age to consider surgery (his only solution) and that I would live out the rest of my days with my body slowly collapsing on itself.

This wasn't really an option for me.

These are things that have helped me in particular and may also help someone that has chronic back pain that doesn't have scoliosis:

Isometrics
Whether I'm sitting at my computer or walking around somewhere, I try to keep my abdominal muscles flexed as much as I can. This subtle contraction can have great long term yield as far as redeveloping core muscles.

Swedish Exercise Ball
Those big silver or colored balls that you see people in the gym laying across or exercising on. For me this was just a big curved surface I could use to stretch my back on. Try laying on one of these balls and relaxing for 5-10 minutes. If you can't do it that long, start with smaller time increments and try to work your way up. Be careful when getting off of the ball, as your back muscles may be fatigued from stretching, so try to dismount very slowly and carefully. You may also start to feel some pain when the blood rushes into these muscles.

Inversion Table
I picked up one of these off amazon after trying one out in a local Relax the Back store. One of the main things you must remember when stretching your back is your breathing. I usually get a good 'release' on the exhale portion of my breathing. It's a moment when your entire core 'lets go' for just a moment. It is during this time 95% of all my progress has been made. This goes for all other stretching methods as well.

I have used inversion tables at the same time with tennis balls or practice softballs (large soft balls great for adding pressure to specific knotty muscle tissue during inversion). Just move the ball around on your back while in the inversion table to a place where you feel the pain and try to relax. I told you this wouldn't feel good! (You get used to the pain after a while and eventually begin to associate the pain with pleasure, because you know you are making progress!)

Remember to breathe deeply and relax on the exhale!

Foam Roller
Stretching for this thing for the first time can be a pain! Stick with it because the results are tremendous!

These can be picked up online or at a Relax the Back store. There are 2 kinds. The white ones are made of foam that will compress over time, but I find are more comfortable, especially for anyone who is just getting started on stretching their back out. The blue ones are much firmer, and more painful, but they will last longer.

I have had my white one for 2 years now, and it still works great. I have used the blue ones before, and wow do they hurt!

These things are very useful and can be used to stretch most of your muscles. For the sake of stretching the back, think of these as 'muscle steamrollers'. You can either lay on the floor with your legs bent and roll yourself back and forth on the roller. You may need to start slow.

Something else you can try is putting the foam roller in your bed and laying across it in a place where your back hurts. This may be an advanced tactic that you need to graduate into. If you can handle it see if you can keep the roller in the same painful spot for 2-5 minutes. If this seems like too much, then try the same method with a foam semicylinder. (see below)

Foam Semicylinder
I don't know if this is the technical term for this item, but it's what I'm calling it! :D

I believe you can buy these, but I just took a section of my foam roller and 'converted' it. I took a wood saw and lopped off about a 1 foot section of the end of my foam roller. I then cut this small cylinder laterally so I ended up with two semicircle shaped pieces of foam. Looking at the end it should resemble a capital D.

These small pieces are bridging pieces that will help you stretch out a little bit at a time. You can use these in conjunction with heat pads, inversion tables, carpeted floors, and even beds. Just find a spot in your back that is knotted or in pain and put the apex of the curve at this point in your back. Lay back and get comfortable, because you should try and relax your back in this position for 5-10 minutes. If you don't feel any pain or aren't getting a good stretch, either readjust the foam, or change the surface to a harder one. (i.e. if you were laying in your bed, move it to the floor)

If this still isn't enough, then you can try using the regular foam roller either in your bed or on the floor. Just be sure you move at your own pace. I don't want anyone getting hurt over here! We're trying to get better, remember?! :D

Tennis Ball/Practice Softball
Similar to the above but these are more pinpoint oriented.

Great for getting under shoulder blades and deep into back tissue. Use tennis or raquet balls to start. When you can handle more pressure, move up to the practice softballs. These differ from regular softballs, because they have a softer padding on the outside. Can be found at Academy for $3-4.

Don't forget to use these in conjunction with your heat pad, inversion table or bed when you're reading.

I even have one of these in a sock that I use while driving. I have it in a sock because I keep the open end of the sock draped over my shoulder and I can reposition the ball with ease if necessary.

Heat Pads
Pick up one of these at your local Walgreens or online. Use when watching TV, surfing the web, resting in bed, or sleeping. Heat is great for helping your muscles release with confidence!

As time goes by you will feel like all of your efforts are for naught. I, too, have felt the same way. Don't dispair! Most of the visual changes you will see to the straightening of your back will come at the end of this process. Depending on your situation, this could possibly be some years down the road. Stick with it!

I hope this information helps some people out there with chronic back pain. I know it has for me!

I believe the whole series of muscles in my body need to be stretched, not just my back muscles, so I try to stretch my obliques, hamstrings and shoulders as well. I found myself going back to two very important stretches when I had the chance, or made the time.

The had the chance stretch is to take advantage of the hot water coming out of your shower while you bathe. My showers got longer, but some of my stretches got deeper and more intense.

Get the water as hot as you can and let it run down your back. Attempt to do a toe touch while the hot water is hitting you in the spot that you feel needs to stretch. Hold on to something if possible for stability while continuing to hold the stretch. I find that the hot water and the feeling of the water hitting your muscles is extremely relaxing and really makes for quicker progress.

The stretch that hurts / is really uncomfortable is the one you need to make time for. It consists of using a long stick (pool cue, broomstick, etc) to help stretch your shoulders and lats. You can simply get a wide grip on this device and hold the pole above your head. Move it around a bit until you feel a nice stretch in your shoulders, pecs, or lats. Hold it in that position for as long as you can. If you can hold it for 5 minutes, you're doing extremely well! I've had the feeling of my arm going numb during this stretch several times. If this becomes uncomfortable for you, then stop and try again later.

I just wanted to highlight these two stretches, as I believe they've had a significant amount of impact on the timeliness of my recovery period.

As I've said before, the reversal process does not just happen overnight, but I didn't really explain what kind of commitment you have to make to yourself in order to make a straight spine your reality.

Now, typically, I'm a very industrious person. I'm always working on something. My mind never really rests. But in order to get by back in shape I had to eliminate some things from my life in place of taking care of my personal health.

It can be embarrassing sometimes when people ask what you've been up to, and all you can come up with is 'stretching my back'. Now if you've seen results, and feel the comfort within your own skin, you know that the time you've spent stretching has been well worth it. Others are more skeptical because they have no idea what we're going through. But stretching your back is only part of it. Once you do the stretching part, there's also the resting & recovery. You will require more sleep. (I used to run off 4-6 hours of sleep per night, but now I require much more, depending on the amount of progress I've made on my body.)

To get a better idea of how long this will take, you must first understand that the more time you can find to stretch your back, the shorter number of days it will be until you're living in a comfortable shell. I find ways to stretch in my car, while I'm at work, when I'm watching tv (which I rarely do), when I'm sleeping, (for example, I had a duck-like walk where my legs would 'naturally' rotate outward, so when I'd sleep, I'd point my feet inward and put blankets or pillows on top of them to help keep my feet in place) and pretty much whenever you can sneak in a stretch here or there. You will probably get funny looks, but they won't be as funny as the looks you'd be getting if your scoliosis got worse!

I do not recommend or endorse the following stretch:
One night I was riding with my friend Shaun in his car, and I just felt this 'kink' in my back that I couldn't get any pressure to, so I decided to sit in the passenger seat of his car upside down! (Hey! I put my seat-belt back on!) I figured the area where your knees usually sit looked like a nice firm (but padded) contour that would feel great on my back only if I could get that part of my back to that part of the seat! Easy fix, just invert myself!

We happened to go through a drive-thru where the cashier didn't really say anything or ask questions, but you know she had them!

The point of this story is to show you that if you make time and are creative, you may be able to correct your back more quickly! Cumulative time invested is the key.

Sometimes, as in my case, your skin will become attached to the muscles below. When this happens, your muscles don't work as they should, and the skin isn't gliding over the muscles as our maker intended.

There are a couple of ways to help get your body back in working order. One of these ways is called myofascial skin rolling. This procedure is achieved by pinching a section of skin and attempting to roll it across the muscle. If it sticks to the muscle, then it will probably hurt, as will that muscle when you try to use it.

The interference the skin is causing on your muscle by being stuck to it is causing your muscular system to malfunction.

I've had to roll many areas of my skin including back, shoulders, forearms, shins, etc. If the skin is stuck, then unstick it! This has been one of those techniques I have used rarely over the past couple of years, just due to the fact that your pain tolerance level must be high.

Do you want the good news or the bad news? Ok, we'll start with the bad news:

Once you've rolled your skin as much as you can roll it across the muscle and it's starting to feel pretty loose, you must now roll it in a "cross grain" fashion in some other direction. Try pinching perpendicular to your last pinch, or just try to start rotating the roll as you move it around. Yes this will create new sensations of pain and you will need to work these scarred areas of tissue out as well.


These areas will probably be sore for the next couple of days, as you are injuring your body so it can heal properly. You can use ice to help numb the pain.

This is probably one of the most painful techniques I have used on my route to recovery, but I think it is, ultimately, a very necessary step in achieving overall top physical shape.

The good news? You're on your way to feeling better!

For the short period I was going to the chiropractor one thing I really liked to use was the electro-stim machine. If you've never seen one of these, they look like a box with a couple of knobs and switches, with 2-4 (or more) cables trailing from them. At the ends of these cables are these pads that you place wherever you need muscles to be stimulated. It is a small pulsating electric shock that doesn't hurt, but just contracts the muscle. The various knobs control the intensity of the electric shock. I think it goes from 1 to 11. :)

This method of recovery really seemed to promote my healing process. It felt really good, and I noticed results of muscular definition in places where there never was before. If you go to a chiropractor that uses one of these electro stim machines, then good. If you don't go to the chiropractor or yours doesn't have one of these, then you've got to try these things out. I know they have electro stims that they sell on tv, but I also found a few on amazon.

I know there's no substitution for chiropractics, but if I had to choose just one method of recovery from my entire arsenal of stretches and exercises, I would choose electro-stim therapy. If you can build the muscle, it can pull your body back together.

I would reccommend using this treatment wherever you think is necessary. Also, places you might not think are necessary, i.e. calves, buttocks, triceps, pectorals, etc. Constantly move the terminals around to try out new 'exercises'. In order to get this frame working again, you're going to have to troubleshoot and re-troubleshoot every aspect of your muscular system.

So, that's my advise to you- if you can either have access or get your hands on one of these things, then do so asap! Your back and body will thank you.

This has been a painful time for me. Physically and emotionally. I have felt many odd sensations during this recovery.

The first real progress I felt when I started my massage therapy was at home, laying over a large pillow on the floor. It felt like someone had an ice cube and was dragging it across my right hip heading towards my lower back.

The next memorable session was when using a tennis ball on a carpeted floor I began to feel like there was a thunderstorm of nerve impulses communicating across my back. Twitches were happening everywhere. When these strange sensations start to occur, your first reaction may be to tense up. Try not to, and continue to relax into whatever it is your body is going to do. I continued to feel nerve twitches throughout the rest of the recovery. It's like there are these new muscle fibers that my brain just found out about.

As my abdominal cavity expanded I felt strange pressure changes in my ears, and have experienced many bouts with dry heaving. I believe it has something to do with my abdominal muscles stretching more than they're used to. I could be wrong, but I noticed it happened quite frequently in the mornings when I would first sit up. My gag reflex was haywire for about a year. Certain smells and sights would also trigger my dry heave reaction. It was quite annoying, and kind of embarrassing! :)

Euphoria. I have felt waves of it washing across my body during some stretching, or resting sessions. Enjoy it, it feels great.

Pain. Do your best to deal with it. Try not to tense up that muscle that hurts so bad. You have to relax into it.

Soreness is also expected after intense periods of stretching.

I have heard strange sounds coming out of my abdomen as fluids and air move around. It's not the same as when you're hungry and your stomach is growling. Similar but stranger.

I have also experienced sensations during stretches where the muscle feels like it's "falling asleep", or sometimes "waking up" (pins & needles). There are other times certain areas of my body go numb for a few minutes (or longer), then later will "wake up".

I just wanted to write these things down because if you were to experience anything similar and you've read this, then you might consider these things as 'normal'.

We all know that scoliosis is an issue that deals with the back, right? Well, the other muscle group that helps out your back are your abdominal muscles, or 'abs'. It may be very difficult for you to try to work out this area of your body, but try to do at least something. I recommend starting with the electro-stim machine to help your brain remember where these muscles are. Also, remember to flex your abs as a 'static' contraction as much as you can to start strengthening your core again.

Other things you can do to stretch your abdominal muscles (which strengthens them in the process) is laying as far backward over a swedish massage ball as you can without losing your balance. I cover this in a previous section. While laying back, try to stay there as long as you can (5 minutes, or more) and relax your breathing and mind.

This is a short section, but while it was on my mind, I wanted to mention it!

I'm gonna be a gambling man here and say I don't have scoliosis anymore. Why? Because first of all, it's only technically scoliosis if you have one or more curves in the spine at 10 degrees or more. I started out with a 12 and a 10 degree curve. Chances are, after all the straightening (I can tell by seeing the difference in the mirror) that has gone on so far, I should be below 9 degrees on both curves if not closer to the zero mark.. where we all want to be.

My new range of motion with my arms legs and feet is quite the blessing. I have much better circulation to all my extremities as well. I still have a slight case of 'labored breathing' but it's nowhere near what it was when my massage therapist pointed this out to me. Sometimes during intense relaxations I will enter a temporary phase of 'labored breathing' until that muscle decides to relax.

Every time you hear a bone 'crack' or feel a muscle relax, even just a little bit, you know you're making progress. Contrary to popular belief, cracking your knuckles is good for your dexterity. It hurts at first, because it's like a new stretch. Once you get the hang of it, you will feel comfort in your fingers like you've never known.

One of these days I will go back to my chiropractor and have him give me a new X-ray so I can see exactly where I am with my spine. At this point I hope to photograph both the old and the new X-Rays to post here on this lens. Does anyone know the law concerning me photographing this data? Is it my right to have my own copies of my X-rays or does the clinic have to release them?

I should have kept better records of my progress but I didn't. And what I did photograph was lost in a hard drive crash. I will scrounge up some pictures here soon so you can see the difference in my back.

This photo was taken about 6 months before I realized I had scoliosis. It seems so obvious to me now, but this is the way I always looked. I mean, how often do you look at your own back? I never did a side by side comparison of my own back with someone else's. It's also difficult to find pictures of your bare back, so we are fortunate that this was a 4th of July party where I was drinking, and decided to take off my shirt! What luck! :) I can be positively identified by the tattoo on my left shoulder.

Albeit this picture is grainy (from a crappy 35mm camera*) and has had something spilled on it, you can still see the hump developing in my thorax.

*coming from a photographer who shot 35mm most of his life, I wasn't saying film was crappy by any stretch of the imagination. Quite the contrary, as digital has only recently caught up with a comparative resolution. I was just saying that this particular camera was crappy.



Just found this image taken in 2005 when I was working out. Funny. Naturally trying to flex my upper body went to a strange angle. You can see the underlying curvature of the spine.

Looking quite a bit better. I don't think I have a straight on back photo that's older, unfortunately.

You can still see muscle tension throughout, as well as a much higher left shoulder. The spinal column is looking rather vertical, as before there was no definition at all.

In my previous image (it's hard to tell from the photo) my ribs and my pelvis were competing for space, and as a result, I believe I had (may still have) a floating rib or two. In this image there is a drastically lengthened torso attached to a much sturdier frame.

(I know the shades of these two fellows are drastically different! Remember one was taken in the summer in poorly lit conditions, and the other was taken coming out of winter in well lit conditions!)

Dr. William P. Bunnell is the Chairman of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery. On Scoliosis.org he answers a series of questions about mild curves in children. A segment of his answers to frequent questions are here:

Q: Can anything be done to reduce a mild curve? What about exercise or manipulation?
A: There's not an ounce of scientifically documented evidence that exercise or manipulation can reduce a curvature. There is a place for exercise in children who have poor posture; it can help create body awareness so they don't slouch.

I must strongly disagree with this opinion. I haven't done a whole lot of 'exercise' up to this point as routine exercises are difficult to perform and my body would hurt too badly. Instead I suppose I have been 'manipulating' my body with stellar results. At almost 30 years of age, I'm more comfortable in my body than I've ever been.

Q: Wouldn't you consider electro-stimulation as a treatment?
A: Let me put it to you this way: Most doctors thought the electro-stimulation was going to be a fantastic idea, and so did patients. But now that we have subjected the research results to critical review, it appears that patients who were getting that type of treatment were statistically no better off than those who got no treatment at all.

I am curious who conducted this research. I have experienced the benefits of electro-stim therapy, and do believe it really can jump-start the nervous system's abilities to start to build muscle in atrophied parts of the body. For this reason, I highly recommend using electro-stim early on in the process. It will really get things moving. No, I am not a doctor, but I am a man who has been through this process personally. I know not everyone will make the gains I have had in their own situation, as well as I know that some people will recover faster. I have speculated, tried, and done. I hope you at least try out some of the things I have mentioned on this page and see if it doesn't improve your quality of life.

The whole series of Q&A can be found here:
Dr. Bunnell Answers Questions About Mild Curves

The doctor of the future will give no medicine, but will interest her or his patients in the care of the human frame, in a proper diet, and in the cause and prevention of disease.
Thomas A. Edison

When there is a term dedicated for the failure of the medical profession to do something right, then there is an obvious problem. Back pain is a common problem and chances are, if you donít suffer from it yourself, then you likely know someone who does. However, what about FBSS? That is Failed Back Surgery Syndrome. The way the medical field has been moving in recent years, you may well know someone who suffers from this as well.

It was reported in 2008 that Americans spent approximately $86 billion dollars per year on back pain management related diagnosis and treatments. That is over two hundred seventy-five dollars per person living in this country. Included in that sum was that expense to cover more that 1.15 million spinal surgeries. Within two years after having those surgeries, eight percent of the patients had to turn around and go back for another. Eight years after than twenty percent of the original patients had a second surgery. A major reason for these repeat procedures is the pure and simple fact that doctors do not take the time to diagnose the actual underlying cause. They treat without knowing what they are treating for. For instance, between 1993 and 2007, the number of spinal fusions performed jumped by more than 200,000 per year. Those surgeries ring in at a whopping seventy-five thousand dollars each and they are not always successful- hence the term Failed Back Surgery Syndrome.

So, what can a person do in order to avoid going under the knife? Well, first, see a pain doctor. These people are willing to take the time to ensure that you are properly cared for, that the necessary tests are done, and that the root cause is determined. Fibromyalgia in particular requires an expert doctor to diagnose. They can help determine the best form of treatment and it doesnít have to be invasive, nor does it have to cost seventy-five thousand dollars.

Other suggested avenues to consider are exercise with the guidance of a physical therapist that understands your strengths and weaknesses so you can create the most beneficial program for you- one that will build strength, mobility, flexibility, and balance without increasing pain. Your physical therapist or a chiropractor may also be willing to attempt spinal manipulation to relief points of pressure and soreness. Similarly, Acupuncture, which is the use of extremely thin pins at specific points on the body, has been found to be a highly effective cure for back pain. It has been found to be a very successful form of pain relief. Cortisone shots may be considered for extreme pain. The shot, which is delivered directly to the spinal column, like those given during child birth, can severely reduce back pain. The direction you take with your treatment will depend entirely on your individual situation. Whether you have never had surgery before or you are a three-time veteran with FBSS, it is best to provide yourself with the team of knowledgeable specialists at Interventional Pain Associates and together create a plan that will make your life all that you had hoped it could be.

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