Teenage son with scoliosis - exercise and healing problems

[FloppyHoldsNoTruckWithFrontedA]

Hi there my 18-year-old son has a scoliosis caused originally by leg length difference we think. There is no suggestion of him having an operation or anything like that. He wears orthotics and the spine did straighten out somewhat between the age of 11 when we first realised there was an issue and now when he’s 18.
He has worked hard on posture - it relapsed a bit during the “sort-of-a-levels” but he basically has a handle on that.
So the problem we have is that he is a very slow healer. He likes mountain-biking, running, karate and the gym. So he gets “ordinary” “minor” injuries like his friends but they take months to heal - even with msk practitioner input.
Right now for instance he has a very tight lower back - nothing serious but (as usual) it won’t go away.

I think he’s reached the point of accepting that this will be a long-term challenge and that his “zone of fitness” will be little narrower than other peoples and that his injury risk of injury and recovery times would be greater thanother peoples. Potentially that won’t hold him back in life but I think he could do with finding some fellow travellers who are achieving success.

As you can imagine it also makes him anxious and affects self-image.

Does anyone have any guidance or tips?

Hi I have mild scoliosis and I'd hate to think it has limited my zone of fitness, but realistically it probably has done. I exercise a lot and have always been very injury prone. Various physios have attributed this to the scoliosis.

I've found yoga, pilates and to a certain extent weight lifting, really helpful to strengthen the weaker side of my body. My spine twists left and my upper body is strong on the left while the lower is stronger on the right. So it's been about rebalancing while being aware of my body. If I had to pick one thing that's helped, that would be pilates. It is really good for addressing weakness in the back, while yoga seems to help with rebalancing.

I'm definitely straighter than I used to be and I attribute that to yoga and pilates, rather than all the other stuff I do (running, weights, hiit). I really feel for your son. Every time I get a twinge I worry it's going to turn in to some massive injury, it must be so much worse at 18. All i can say is I've learned to live with it, anticipate the problems, and do a lot of strength work to help.

I hope someone with more expertise/ experience will come along with better advice than mine!

Thank you empress. Your story is very positive.

Yes, every twinge has the potential to last months - that’s the problem :(

I was going tooling to suggest Pilates too. Not the alternative-to-yoga-or aerobics-class type, but proper full-on reformer (equipment-based) Pilates.

I have a mild scoliosis as well and agree Pilates is the way to go. Strengthening the core muscles and the muscles on the weaker side of the spine will be the best way to prevent back and spinal injuries from occurring.

Finding a good Pilates instructor with enough knowledge of spinal conditions the hard bit though - my osteopath gives me strict instruction that I'm only allowed to see Pilates instructors who've been vetted by her!

I've heard that the Alexander Technique is a good therapy / practice for scoliosis as well, but haven't tried it personally. That may be something else to look into.

Thank you squirrel!
Thank you shadow!

I think he should work with supervision too. The latest injury was from a lockdown workout.

Silent, we also have good osteopaths.
I want to throw some £££ at this. It will be his graduation present. Not the exciting interrailing trip he had planned with his friends, but still.....

I have scoliosis which was a significant C shaped curvature, which is unusual in people without co-morbidities/additional conditions. I'm very slow to heal from surgeries etc and bruise easily

I had surgery at 21 and unfortunately I think it was too little, too late. The best things I've found for fitness are swimming, walking, hiking and careful weight training. However, I suffer badly with sciatica and have had a slipped disk after going to the gym too often, which was agonising.

The best money to be spent is on the best shoes and insoles, ideally custom insoles to insure his weight is evenly distributed, and a PT who's qualified in those with muscular/skeletal conditions. Core strength will help a lot as well as good posture etc.

Thank you stylish

I also have a mild scoliosis (thoracic). Unfortunately some forms of exercise exacerbate pain or injury. I still chose to do my preferred sport because I loved it and put up with the injurues but it was a conscious decision.

I've found yoga helpful - I used to suffer with a very stiff spine that cracked all over the place and used to get really painful but my spine has been much more mobile since adding more stretching into my routine. Weight training also made a difference to me.

It is a condition that requires lifelong managment, unfortunately.

Just to add, I'm currently injured at the moment and unlikely to get back to my former level of fitness or my sport - I'm not advocating my admittedly foolhardy approach to just doing it anyway!

Thank you cam. All the best with your recovery