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How to Use Exercise to Manage Scoliosis

Exercise is always important for a healthy lifestyle, but it is even more important when scoliosis is involved. The goal of scoliosis-specific exercises is to strengthen the muscles of the shoulders and back while also working on flexibility, which will hopefully help to manage your scoliosis. Keeping the area strong and healthy is important and may help to manage scoliosis over time.

Things You'll Need

  • Stability ball
  • Light weights
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Instructions

  1. Practice these Exercises

    • 1

      Use the back extension technique to strengthen the muscles in the back. You can use a medicine ball for this exercise by lying on your stomach on top of the ball. Lift your torso so that you are parallel with the medicine ball, and raise your arms out straight. Hold the position for five seconds, and repeat ten times.

    • 2

      Use a stability ball (which looks like half a ball and can be found at most gyms) by leaning on it with your hips. Raise your right arm and then raise your left leg and hold for three seconds before switching sides. Repeat this 30 times with a brief break after every ten repetitions.

    • 3

      Sit on the medicine ball with your spine as straight as possible. Hold a light weight in your right hand while bracing your elbow with the other. Drop the weight slowly behind your head and then lift and repeat. Try three sets of ten repetitions for each arm.

    • 4

      Sit on the medicine ball and lean forward as far as you can. Hold light weights in each hand and lift straight out to your sides. If this is too difficult with weights it can be done with no weights at all. Repeat three sets of ten.

    • 5

      Stand straight up, and hold light weights in each hand. Lift the weights straight out to your sides so that they are parallel with the ground. Hold for several seconds and then lower the weights. Repeat three sets of ten.

    • 6

      Lean on the stability ball with one hand while holding a weight in the other. Point your elbow towards the ceiling and lift the weight up. Be sure to squeeze your shoulder blades while lifting and then release. Try three sets of ten for each arm.

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