What Exercises Should You Avoid With Scoliosis? (Children and Adults) | Dr. Andrew Strauss
Should you stop your child from playing sports because of scoliosis? For most kids, no. Research is consistent that people respond better to scoliosis treatment when they have a general level of fitness — so the best exercise is, only half-jokingly, the one they'll actually do. The social side matters: a child who plays soccer, swims, dances, or rides because their friends do will exercise far more consistently than one told to do exercises alone. For children, very little needs to be avoided. I used to advise against contact sports, combat sports, and distance running — but I've changed that view, because the evidence shows these don't actually worsen a child's scoliosis. Let the child do what they enjoy and keep them active. For adults, a few cautions apply — not because of the scoliosis itself, but because adults can have degenerative changes (arthritis, bone spurs, narrowed nerve openings) that certain movements aggravate. With an adult, it's wise to go easy on heavy spinal twisting and heavy compressive loads like maximal weightlifting. Otherwise the same principle holds: stay fit, find something you enjoy, do it regularly. One thing to add, not avoid — impact ("heel strike") exercise. Adults with scoliosis are more prone to osteoporosis, and weight-bearing, impact exercise — walking, running, tennis, team sports, anything where the heels strike the ground — is uniquely effective at building bone density, because bone strengthens in response to mechanical loading. It doesn't have to be the whole program, but it should be part of it. The overall goal: stay fit, build a strong muscular girdle around the spine to stabilize it, and give yourself the best chance of holding your corrections for life. ℹ️ This video is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Any treatments, exercises, or outcomes shown are specific to the individual patient — scoliosis care is prescribed case by case, and individual results vary. Do not attempt techniques shown without professional evaluation. Consult a qualified healthcare provider about your specific condition. Dr. Andrew Strauss — Vice Chair, CLEAR Scoliosis Institute Board of Directors; Advanced Fellow; Director of Education; ISICO World Masters Graduate; Certified Schroth Practitioner; SOSORT & NASS member. 40 years scoliosis-specific practice, 10,000+ patients, 29 states, 38 countries. 📍 Strauss Scoliosis Correction (Hudson Valley Scoliosis Correction Center), 250 NY-59 Unit 4, Nanuet, NY 10954 🌐 https://hudsonvalleyscoliosis.com ☎️ (845) 624-0010 📧 [email protected]
