What Can Cause Your Scoliosis To Progressive Rapidly?
While most orthopedist consider that once a child stops growing the risk for progression of their scoliosis goes away, the fact is that this is only partially true. While the risk for rapid progression diminishes greatly at skeletal maturity, it is not the only time in life that scoliosis can progress. In fact, for a woman with scoliosis there are 3 times in her life that she risks rapid progression of her scoliosis curves, if she’s not doing anything to stabilize her spine.
3 Times of Life A Woman’s At Risk For Scoliosis Progression
- Puberty – Rapid Growth & Hormonal Changes
- Pregnancy – Hormone Relaxin Relaxes Ligaments
- Menopause – Bony Changes
Additional Risk for Slow Progression of Scoliosis
In addition to the risk for rapid progression scoliosis research shows that once a curve reaches a certain tipping point (generally considered around 30°) gravity really starts to takes advantage of the imbalanced spine. Gravitational pull can cause a slow progression of about 1° per year. At that rate it would mean a 14 year old girl with a 30° curve, if she did nothing to help stabilize her spine, could end up with a 50° curve by the time she is 34 years old.
Keys to Scoliosis Correction & Stability
- Moving the Body More Towards the Mid-Line – Reduces imbalanced gravitational forces
- Strengthen Specifically Weakened Muscles in the Spine and Trunk – Relieves muscle strain to the other side
- Improve Patterns of Movement and Postural Awareness – Keeping your spine from collapsing into the downward spiral of scoliosis
Coming Up Next…
In the next installment of this scoliosis educational series we will discuss how stabilization of the spine can be achieved and what types of treatment for scoliosis are most successful in helping the body retain these changes that can help you reduce your curves and stabilize your spine.