Do you know your scoliosis curve pattern?
Do you understand it?
Has anyone explained it to you?
I find this is one area of great confusion among my students. And for me too, it took me a long time to understand how my spine could be curving in different directions.
First it is important to understand that the natural curves of the spine have convexities and concavities. In utero the upper back rounds and this creates the first convexity. Then when the baby is born and starts to crawl, it lifts its head up and that creates a concavity in the neck. The lower back five vertebrae are concave and the sacrum is convex.
For folks with scoliosis, we have EXTRA convexities and concavities formed by the spine rotating and side bending.
Many people are unclear about where their scoliosis concavities and convexities are and also which is which. The way I remember is that concavities are curves that hollow inward like caves. It’s right in the name.
This is crucial information if you want to work with your curves. Otherwise you could be flying blind, as they say.
If you think of a spiral staircase, that visual may be helpful.
The outside curves of the stairs are the convexities and the inside curves are concavities. Another image is of a soccer ball. The outside curve is convex, and the inside curve the lining the ball is concave.
You may have only heard that you have one type of curve i.e. Right Thoracic convexity, but you will in all likelihood have additional curves above and below that main curve. These additional curves are known as compensating curves and they help to balance the body out.
If you have an x-ray or a diagnostic report, it may tell you your major curve pattern and how many degrees away from your body’s midline it is. The greater the degree, the larger the scoliotic curve.
Below I have a drawing of a person with scoliosis showing their pattern of convexities and concavities. Some are larger and more obvious than others.
As you can see, there is more than one curve to consider. Convexities and concavities alternate in what would be a zigzag pattern if it were flat.
When starting to work with your scoliosis curve, there is alot of information to understand on different levels. Learning about your curve pattern is the first step to making informed choices about what types of movements to do and how to do it in a way that is most beneficial. Slow yoga with mindfulness and breath awareness are very effective tools on this journey.
To get support with this, you can book a private session with me, come to a class, or get my book here.
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