The human spinal column plays a significant role in protecting and strengthening the spinal cord and maintaining the structural framework of the body.  It is composed of several vertebrae, a set of bones that are mainly responsible for keeping one upright and connecting the different regions of the musculoskeletal and nervous systems. While deteriorating back pain is quite common, afflicting almost 8 out of 10 adults at some point in their lives, an intense pain due to the structure of the spine is something an individual rarely contemplates unless they have a condition called Scoliosis.

Also Read: Scoliosis: Causes, Symptoms And Treatment 

What Is Scoliosis?

Scoliosis is a medical condition in which an individual’s spine is not straight but rather curved causing a twist in the shoulders and hips and shifting the body’s equilibrium to give rise to spinal deformity and rib displacement. A person whose spinal column has a curvature which is more than 10 degrees to the left or right, or even front or back giving the spinal column an ‘S’ or ‘C’ shape can be termed a victim of Scoliosis. This spinal aberration is chiefly noticed in adolescents who are suffering from conditions like cerebral palsy and muscular dystrophy. The preliminary cause of scoliosis in children is still unknown but, in most instances, they are usually mild, but the curvature worsens as the kid grows.

Also Read: Yogasanas For Hip Pain: 5 Simple Yoga Poses To Provide Relief From Lower Back Discomfort

Scoliosis can be extremely painful and usually restricts the movements of an individual. While in most cases, the curved spine in scoliosis is corrected via surgery, in case the condition is depicted by a mild curvature, one must consider other options like home remedies and restorative postures before affirming the surgical option. And one such proven remedial option that mitigates pain due to Scoliosis is Yoga.

How Yoga Manages Scoliosis?

This ancient technique is characterised by different postures and breathing exercises that are mainly targeted at correcting the spine’s shape. Certain yoga postures when practised in precision can extensively help mitigate the pain and fortify the muscles around the spine. These stronger muscles can in turn assist in providing a better spinal alignment, thereby diminishing pain in people suffering from scoliosis.

So, without further ado, if you get the green signal from your treating doctor to carry out yoga, we bring you 5 such extraordinary yoga postures to subdue pain arising from scoliosis and gradually realign the spinal column.

Superb Yogasanas To Provide Relief From Scoliotic Pain

Warrior pose (Virabhadrasana)

Stand upright with legs kept apart at a 3 feet distance. Turn the left foot out by 90 degrees and the right foot in by about 15 degrees. Raise both arms sideways to shoulder height with your palms turned up. Ensure your arms are parallel to the floor. While exhaling, bend your left knee and gradually turn your head to your left. Gently lower down your pelvis. Keep breathing normally as you go down. While inhaling, come up and while inhaling, bring your hands down from the sides. Repeat this posture 5 times.

Benefits:

This pose strengthens the spinal column, thighs and lower back muscles. It is extremely pivotal for conditioning the lower limb musculature and for enhancing stamina and balance in the body. Restoring a stronger back effectively helps deal with Scoliosis.

Paschimottanasana (Seated Forward Bent Pose)

Begin the pose with your legs extended forward. While lifting up your hands, keep your spine straight. Exhale and bend forward while keeping your hands parallel to the legs. Try to hold the big toes of your foot with your fingers and be in this stance for 30-40 seconds. Take a few seconds of break and repeat the asana 4 more times.

Benefits:

The seated forward bend pose is an incredibly immune-boosting posture that gives a good stretch to the lower back and relieves stress, anxiety and fatigue from the mind and body. Additionally, it promotes digestion, boosts appetite, diminishes obesity, and helps fix various anomalies.

Trikonasana (Triangle Pose)

Stand upright while keeping your feet joined. Ensure that your arms placed on either side of your body. Gradually stretch out your legs keeping a wide gap in between. Lift your left hand in the air. Breathe in and bend towards your right and balance your body by keeping the right palm on the floor. Turn your head upwards and fix your gaze on the left-hand fingertips and count up to 15. Repeat the stance in the left side as well. Take a 1-minute break and continue the entire posture in a set of 5.

Benefits:

The Triangle Pose is exemplary for stretching the spine and improving the physical and mental equilibrium. It extensively ameliorates anxiety, scoliosis, sciatica, lower back and arthritic pain and also promotes appetite and digestion.

Marjari Bitilasana (Cat/ Cow Pose)

Hunker down on your hands and knees while keeping your head forthright. Inhale deeply and shove your chin up while bending your head back a little bit. Maintain your buttock muscles firmly and be in this posture for 30 seconds or as long as possible while breathing naturally. Next, curve your backbone upwards towards the sky while gently breathing out. Slacken your buttocks and pull your stomach in so that the spine curves inwards. Be in this stance for 15 seconds and repeat it 4 more times.

Benefits:

The Cat-Cow yoga pose is like two sides of a coin. It opens up the bodily channels and boosts blood circulation, and alleviates painful inflammatory conditions like scoliosis, arthritis,  spondylitis etc. It also evokes a feeling of relaxation within the mind and body, helps lose excess fat from the tummy and straightens up overall posture.

Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward-facing dog pose)

Kneel on all fours with your knees placed hip-width apart and your palms kept shoulder-width apart. Now, slowly heave up your hips off the floor and unbend your elbows and knees. See that your body forms an inverted ‘V’ posture. Now, shove your palms firmly into the ground and stretch your neck such that your ears should touch the inner side of your arms, and see that you stare straight towards your navel. Be in this position for 15-20 seconds and then come back to the original upright posture.

Benefits:

The downward-facing dog pose is one of the crucial yoga poses for remedying pain from scoliosis and plays an essential role in stretching the back and neck muscles, fortifying the spinal column and toning the abdominal muscular region. Not only does it relax the body, and rids it of pain and inflammation, but also subdues stress and anxiety.