Yoga poses for scoliosis ? Scoliosis is the sideways or abnormal curvature of the spine. A normal spine has a bump near the shoulders and a curve at the lower back. But if your spine is deformed and is ‘S’ or ‘C’ shaped, then you might be suffering from Scoliosis.
There can be many reasons why one suffers from Scoliosis:
- Growth burst just before hitting puberty.
- Deformed since birth
- Genetic disorders
- Neurological abnormalities
Symptoms of Scoliosis:
- Abnormal hips
- Back pain
- One shoulder is bladed more than the other.
- One should blade sticking out more than the other
- Breathing problems
Usually, surgery is only suggested for people who have curves greater than 40 degrees. So if you have a minute but evident deformation in your spine, the only thing that you can do is Yoga. Yoga is said to be an effective treatment for correcting posture deformities. It also helps you in saving money. Yoga is a very efficient and effective way to treat Scoliosis. It will also help in increasing flexibility and curing various problems, all at once. Most of the yoga poses required to be done for treating Scoliosis is pretty simple and thus almost anyone can do them.
Yoga poses for scoliosis:
- Ardha Uttanasana (Half forward bend): It is a very basic yoga pose and does not require many efforts. It will help in stretching your spine, hips, and hamstrings.
How to do Ardha Uttanasan?
- Stand in the Uttanasana pose.
- Take a few deep breaths and when you are ready, raise your body and place your palms on your thighs.
- You want to keep your back straight so what you might need to do is bring your foot closer but not close enough that your knees touch.
- If you are doing the posture correctly, you will feel a gentle opening in your hamstrings, perhaps in the back of your ankle.
- Don’t tense up and lose the posture. Keep calm and breathe.
- Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward facing dog): It will help in calming your brain and relieving stress and anxiety. It will also help in improving blood circulation.
How to do Adho Mukha Svanasana?
- Lie down and do the plank pose.
- Now start moving your hands backward and start raising your hips toward the ceiling.
- Come only as far as your body can handle.
- Once you’ve found a comfortable position, maintain the pose for 40-60 seconds.
- Do it 4-5 times to get the best results.
- Shalahasana (Locust Pose): It will strengthen the muscles of buttocks, spine, and back of arms and legs.
How to do Shalabhasana?
- Lie down on your stomach with your chin resting on the floor. If you don’t find this comfortable, you are always welcome to turn your face and do this pose with your cheek touching the floor.
- Place your arms under your stomach with your hands under your thighs and the palms facing the floor.
- Keeping the legs straight, try to raise them as high as possible.
- Keep breathing in and out slowly and try to maintain the pose for as long as you can.
- Setu Bandha Sarvangasana (Bridge Pose): It will help in stretching your spine, neck, and back and thus will also help in increasing flexibility
How to do Bridge pose?
- Lay down on the floor with your knees bent and the back of your foot touching your feet.
- Place your arms on either side of your body with the palms facing the ground.
- Now walk your feet a little forward and keep them at hip-distance.
- Try to lift your hips toward the ceiling.
- Repeat for 10-20 times.
- Vasisthasana (Side plank pose): It is different from the conventional side plank pose. It will help in strengthening your oblique muscles as well as your arms and legs.
How to do Vasisthasana?
- Start from plank pose with your hands pressing firmly on the ground and your hands aligned with your shoulders.
- Slowly turn your body to the left and put your left foot on top of your right foot and raise your left arm high so that now your fingers are pointing toward the ceiling.
- Hold it for at least 20 seconds.
- After you are done for the left side come back to the original plank pose.
- Now turn your body to the right side with your right arm raised high so that the fingers of your right hand are pointing towards the ceiling and place your left foot on the right.
- Repeat it at least 3 times for each side to get the required results.
- Anantasana(side-reclining leg lift): It will help in losing fat and stretching both your upper and lower body.
How to do Anantasana?
- Lie down on your back.
- Now roll over to your right side with your head resting on top of your upper arm.
- Lift your head a little and bring your right hand to support your head.
- Try to keep your whole body in one line from top to bottom and try to avoid moving forward and backward.
- Now raise your left leg toward the ceiling and try to keep your legs as straight as possible.
- Now hold the big toe of your left foot with the help of your left hand.
- After about 20 seconds release the pose and roll onto the other side to do the same with your right arm and your right leg.
- Tadasana (Mountain pose): This is the simplest standing yoga pose. It will help in improving your body posture and also help in increasing your height.
How o do Tadasana?
- Stand straight.
- With your head up and interlace your hands behind your lower back.
- Rise and come to stand on your toes and raise your hands so that now your palms are facing up toward the ceiling.
- Try holding this pose for at least 1 minute.
- Cat/ cow pose: It will help in stretching your back and strengthening your shoulders. It is very easy to do this pose.
How to do Cat/cow pose?
- Come to stand on all four.
- Inhale and raise your chin and arch your back downwards si the curve is towards the floor. This is your cow pose
- Now exhale and raise your back upwards, with your shoulders pressed together firmly. Now the curve will be towards the ceiling. This is your cat back.
- Maintain steady breathing and do this pose 4-5 times at least, you can do more if you find fit.
- Child’s pose: It is very easy and helps a lot in relieving the body. It will relieve tension in your back, chest, and shoulders. It will also help in relieving stress and anxiety. It can also be an effective cure for depression as it relaxes your body as well as your brain
How to do a child’s pose?
- You have to kneel on the floor with your palms resting on your thighs
- Then you have to exhale and stretch your arms and lower your upper body until your palms touch the ground.
- Your body should be relaxed. You can stay in this pose for as long as you find appropriate.
- Trikonasana (Triangle pose): It will also help in strengthening your obliques and stretching your body.
How to do Trikonasana?
- Move your legs at least shoulder distance apart.
- Raise both arms so that your shoulders are straight and your arms are parallel to the ground.
- Keeping your knees straight, move your left foot slightly outside and left foot inside.
- Now bend your body do that your left hand can touch your left foot. Try to touch the floor on the toes of your right foot. The ideal position will be one where your palms touch the floor but it can be pretty difficult to do. So you must avoid pushing your body beyond its capacity.
- Come back to the original position with your legs apart and arms parallel to the floor.
- Do the same for the other side.
- Repeat 5 times for each side.
- Virabhadrasana (Warrior pose): It will help in strengthening your legs and foot and also help in curing Scoliosis.
How to do Virabhadrasana??
- Step your feet 3-4 feet apart.
- Join both your hands like praying.
- Now slowly exhale and turn the right foot outside by an angle of 90 degrees and turn the left foot inwards slightly. Also, rotate your torso so that your hands are parallel to your right thigh.
- Now bend your thigh, so that your right thigh is now parallel to the floor.
- Your shin must be perpendicular to the floor.
- Maintain the pose for 30 seconds. Your thigh must be parallel to the floor and your left leg must always remain stretched.
- Repeat the same for the left side.
Yoga poses for scoliosis – Conclusions:
Yoga poses for scoliosis is something that can provide a cure for almost every disease in the world. And the poses to be done for Scoliosis are very easy and do not demand much pushing through. You can do these simple poses and improve your body posture and cure scoliosis.