It is normal for curves of the spine, like in the neck or lower back, to occur. It is when one curve is symptomatic and causes pain or other problems that it becomes important to treat with exercises. Some people confuse scoliosis with kyphosis (the scientific term for hunchback), but these are two different conditions. People with scoliosis typically have one side of the hump that the curve is on; people with kyphosis will usually have pain or stiffness on both sides. Scoliosis (or curvature of the spine) can be corrected using exercises, but some are more effective than others. Here are the exercises you can do in a gym:
1. The pelvic tilt is very important in stabilizing the spine when doing other exercises. Here’s how to do it:
– Lie on your back with knees bent, hands clasped behind your head – Your head should be turned to one side so that you can look out of the corner of your eye – Exhale and press your lower back into the floor while pulling your navel toward your spine – Hold for 10 seconds and then inhale, relaxing your stomach muscles
– Repeat 4 times and switch sides.
2. The ab crunch is another important one to strengthen both hamstrings and abs:
– Lie on your stomach with legs extended – Lift toes off the ground so that only your heels are supporting you – Once stable, move into a bridge position by lifting shoulders and head off the ground while balancing on the toes and glutes – Keeping both knees bent at a 90 degree angle, slowly lower back to the starting position.
– Repeat 8 times.
– Keep in mind that over time, it is possible to build muscle mass in this exercise. If you feel like you can’t do 8 reps any more, simply continue to the next step.
3. The scissor kick is an effective way to strengthen your lower back and abdominal muscles:
– Lie on your back with one leg crossed over the other – Make sure that both legs are at a 90-degree angle – Slowly lift one leg 6 inches off the ground while keeping your opposite knee bent
– Repeat 12 times on each side.
4. The crunch with heel drop is another great exercise to strengthen muscles in the core:
– Lie on back with knees bent, hands behind head (as you did for pelvic tilt) – Keep shoulders flat on the floor and lift your shoulder blades off the ground – Bring knee to opposite elbow without lifting head or shoulders – Lower back down, keeping knees bent at 90 degree angles so that only your heel drops.
– Repeat 12 times on each side.
5. The Superman exercise strengthens both abdominals and lower back muscles:
– Lie face down on the floor with your legs straight together and arms at your sides, palms down – Slowly lift hands, chest, thighs, knees and feet off the ground to create a Superman shape – Hold for 5 seconds before slowly lowering back down.
– Repeat 12 times.
Remember that any exercise you do should not cause pain or discomfort; if it does, stop immediately. Also, it is important to remember that strengthening muscles can take some time, so be patient – you may not see results right away.
