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 YOGA EXERCISES FOR SCOLIOSIS: WHICH ONES TO AVOID

By Christa Lehnert-Schroth, P.T.

Many problems that my mother Katharina Schroth and I saw in some of our patients stemmed from well-meaning but counterproductive therapeutic exercise programs that used to be practiced in Germany. In some cases our patients had performed bad exercises for years before coming to our clinic, and their condition

was far worse, and more difficult and time-consuming to correct, than if they had done no exercises at all.

herefore I note with great concern that many of these exercises are now very popular in yoga, and some are even recommended by yoga teachers as scoliosisexercises. !hile they are often very positive for normal bodies, we found the exercises on this page -- or similar ones -- to be harmful to our scoliosis patients.

"oga was not conceived for scoliosis, as our exercises were. #ach Schroth scoliosis exercise was created empirically in our clinic to address a specific problem

that our patients had. he complex musculos$eletal configuration of every case of scoliosis made it necessary to consider and observe carefully all the potentialramifications of each exercise, so that each would both achieve its intended effect and create no unwanted secondary problems.

It is very important not simply to do a series of exercises, but to accomplish a specific, rehabilitative goal with each exercise.

Section %.&III.' of my boo$ is devoted to pointing out exercises that must be avoided by persons with scoliosis. Some of these exercises are outlined here.

In general, scoliotics should avoid:

•   (ending bac$wards

•   wisting the torso

•   (ending sideways

•   (ending the rib cage

1) AVOID BENDING BACKWARDS WITH THE UPPER TRUNK

Bending a scoliotic back towards the rear is strictly forbidden from all starting positions, since it will increase both lumbar andthoracic lordosis. Back-bend positions increase lumbar lordosis and the anterior lumbar wedge, without simultaneously

diminishing the rib hump. 

)orbidden bac$wards-bending yoga exercises for scoliosis*

Cobra - Bhujangasana or Naga-asana (see photo above left)he cobra wor$s into the lordosis, contracting the lumbar spine, although the head is brought bac$wards. he nec$ is bent here, whereas Schroth does not bend

the nec$ bac$wards, but rather shifts the head and nec$ rearwards in upright position. he cobra also overstretches abdominal muscles. 

Half moon - rdha Chandrasana

he problems are the same as with the cobra -- increasing lordosis and bending the nec$. he only difference is the standing position.

Bo! pose - "hanurasana

his exercise increases lumbar lordosis. It is bad for scoliosis.

Camel - #strasana

he same problem again* overstretching the abdominal muscles, promoting lumbar lordosis, nec$ bent too far. he carotid artery is constricted.

$heel - Cha%rasana or #rdhva "hanurasana(see photo at left)See warnings above for the bow, camel, cobra, and half moon. he important principles are the same. (ending bac$wards increases lordosis abnormally.&ocust - 'alabhasana

( a erman variant is depicted at right)

his exercises increases lumbar lordosis. It could potentially be useful for lumbar $yphosis, but would have to be tested.

ing of the dance -- Nataraja-asana

he King of the +ance is excellent for a normal body but not for scoliosis. Itwould be inappropriate whether performed either left or right. !hen the leg on

the rib hump side is lifted bac$wards, it would be good in order to strengthen thelumbar muscles. owever, the leg is raised too high, so that these lumbar 

muscles contract, instead of being reuired to bear weight, as for example in theSchroth Muscle %ylinder exercise.

'corpion - *rischi%asana

his pose is very eccentric, but interesting for normal bodies. ot recommendedfor scoliosis.

'un salutation

In yoga the sun salutation is normally performed alternately with several other exercises, so that a wrong movement is cancelled by a better one. It is good for

normal bodies, and is a fun exercise to do. owever, for scoliosis we need to concentrate on our goal.

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he central segment, the rib hump, is enlarged as it rotates bac$wards into the existing curvature, regardless of whether the rotation is to the left or right side.

'pinal +!ist - rdha atsendrasana (photos in sidebar at left)

his exercise is excellent for straight, normal bac$s. In it, the internal organs are suee7ed, that is, freed of waste.

 

owever, people with scoliosis should absolutely avoid the Spinal wist. 1 scoliotic body usually has three or four contortions 8counter-rotations0 between the pelvis, rib cage, and shoulder girdle. hese are exacerbated by twisting the shoulder girdle against the pelvic girdle while the middle section, the rib cage, isignored.

hat middle section is precisely where the prominent rib hump is located, and on the other side the rib valley. !hether the torso is twisted left or right, the rib

hump and the rib valley will increase. If you twist so far that you can hear your spine crac$, that is a sign that the spinal rib 9oints are moving further into anabnormally twisted state. It does no good to do this movement once to the right and once to the left* it is counterproductive in both cases.

+riangle - +ri%onasana

o be completely avoided in scoliosis, because here the shoulder girdle is twisted against the pelvic girdle and the middle section 8which thereby creates a rib

hump0 must follow after the more comfortable side.

2ther inappropriate twisting exercises for scoliosis

• Bharadvajasana - 'eated t!ist

• arichasana - 'age t!ist

3) AVOID BENDING THE RIB CAGE -- FORWARD, 

SIDEWAYS OR BACKWARD

his would worsen the existing scoliotic form of the spine.

rying to open up the main scoliotic curve between the thoracic and lumbar spine will push the upper trun$ in the same direction that is due to the lumbar

curvature. he caudal part of the thoracic curve goes in the same direction as the cranial part of the lumbar curve. hus, the two spinal curves lead into oneanother and form one line which has an obliue direction to the right.

'ide bend - rdha Chandrasana

his is similar to one of the counterproductive Swedish untwisting exercises we used to see. 1 scoliosis patient performing this exercise would exercise into theexisting curve and increase it. It is not recommended even if subseuently done in the opposite direction.

he pure reversal of a cranial curve is ineffective or wrong if the caudal curve is enlarged in the process. Movements to the side must never be bendingmovements* the body must be inclined but always held straight, starting at the hip in combination with guided rotational angular breathing.

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'houlder stand - 'arvangasana (photo at left)he head in the shoulder stand pose is sharply bent forward, which overstretches the nec$ muscles. It will

also promote cervical $yphosis. Moreover, the whole body weight lies on the shoulders, and wouldenormously increase a rib hump formation.

Instead of bending the head, Schroth not only brings the head over the center of the body 8in standing position0, but also a bit bac$wards. herefore Schroth scoliosis exercises do the complete opposite of this

one.

+he .lo! -- Halasana

#ffect is similar to the shoulder stand. 5ndesirable for scoliosis

Head stand

he head stand is not useful for scoliosis. owever, it perfuses the s$ull, which is probably desired.