A medical mystery of the spine, scoliosis is characterized by an abnormal twist or sideways S- or C- shaped curvature of the backbone. The condition ranges from mild to severe. It can strike at any age, but it usually sets in early in life, at the age of 10-15. In severe cases, surgery may be recommended.
The main cause of scoliosis is unknown. However, there are four widely recognized patterns associated with the condition that patients and candidates can utilize to alleviate the pain and even prevent the condition from occurring for the general public.
Scoliosis is a medical condition in which a person’s spine has a sideways curve. The curve is usually S- or C-shaped over three dimensions. (Image: via Wikimedia Commons)
Unhealthy sitting posture
With scoliosis, many candidates have one leg longer than the other. There are people who like to sit with one leg raised and placed on top of the other because they feel that this sitting position is more comfortable, not knowing that this can cause the spine to curve sideways, leading to scoliosis.
Standing for long hours
Certain jobs require standing for a long time, thus causing sore, painful feet. In most cases, this pain is relieved by letting one leg relax while the other leg bears all the body weight. This posture is most likely to cause varicose veins and swelling. It also puts stress on the ankles, knees, and hip joints, as well as the spine. This, in turn, can cause the knee joints to become deformed and eventually result in spinal displacement causing S-shaped scoliosis.
Limping and lopsided walking
Those that have one leg longer than the other or those that have leg injuries tend to limp while walking. This can cause spinal problems over time. There are also people who are used to carrying their baby or backpack on one side, and there are ladies who favor carrying their handbag on one shoulder. Adopting this posture over prolonged periods may look elegant, but their center of gravity is lopsided. This causes postural imbalance leading to a curved spine.
Some people are afraid of walking due to foot pain or knee pain. In order to protect and avoid the use of the injured leg, people walk by placing all the weight and exertion on the other leg. This causes severe strain and imbalance resulting in side bending. Thus, try as much as possible to use the normal way of walking.
Slouching and reading while lying down
It is recommended that you should not read books or view your mobile phone while lying down. After a day’s work, particularly office workers like to lie down on the sofa or bed upon arriving home and start to browse their mobile phones to relax. Over time, this routine can cause the spine to curve.
Certain jobs require standing for a long time, thus causing sore, painful feet. (Image: Screenshot via YouTube)
Three techniques to help alleviate the curvature of the spine
Walking backward
Try walking backward; while doing so one will turn the neck to look backward. Even if the neck is not turned backward, the body tends to straighten, which may improve the scoliosis condition.
Walking in a swimming pool
When the water level is about the height of the neck, walking at such a height can improve your spinal posture. Walking in the swimming pool can also help in adjusting your posture and can relieve pain.
Lying down and rotating the body
If the scoliosis is not serious, one can also lie flat, then twist the head and body like a twisted towel. The procedure is as follows: Tilt the head to the right with the body turned to the left and then turn the body over, and twist a few times to restore the spine to its original position.
For those with one leg longer than the other and having tight muscles and tendons, how can you improve and adjust the spine by yourself? Use your hand to pull your leg while standing by the side of a wall, breathe and inhale, and then slowly exhale. Toward the end of the exhalation, use strength to pull up your leg; the stiffness of your leg can be reduced using this method.
Edited by Michael Segarty
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