Posture plays a big role in the body’s overall health. When someone has bad posture, or if they have a postural disorder, pain results, especially in the back. Back pain is one of the most common areas of complaint for people. For those who have a spine curvature disorder, where the spine is misaligned or the spinal curves are greater than normal, the pain and discomfort can be debilitating. There are three main types of spine curvature disorders; Kyphosis, Lordosis, and Scoliosis. Here’s a little bit about each of these spine curvature disorders:
Kyphosis – Is when the spine has an abnormally curved upper back, resulting in shoulders rounded forward, scapulas (shoulder blades) are spread apart, and often times the chin is protruding forward as well. This give the person a “hunchback” appearance.
Lordosis – Is when the spine of the lower back is curved more significantly inward, creating the appearance of a swayback with the hips rolling back.
Scoliosis – Is when the spine is curved sideways. The curve in the spine may be a “C” shape with one curve to either the left or right, or it may be a “S” shape, where the spine has two curves, a curve to one side then the other.
There are a number of conditions that can cause spine curvature disorders. For Kyphosis and Lordosis some of these conditions are:
Kyphosis:
Abnormal vertebrae development in utero
Poor posture
Spina Bifida
Arthritis
Osteoporosis
Lordosis:
Spondylolisthesis
Obesity
Discitis
Osteoporosis
For Scoliosis, there is no known causes that doctors can tell for certain. It is more common to be developed in adolescences during the growth stages. It can also be due to disease, injury, infections, or birth defects, as well as the possibility of it being genetic, as it has been seen to run in families.
With these spine curvature disorders, many people suffer from pain, discomfort, fatigue, sleeplessness, and lack of mobility. Massage therapy has shown to have positive effects on helping people with spine curvature disorders. Massage therapy cannot fix or correct the disorder, but it can have plenty of healing and soothing effects. Here are some of the benefits of massage therapy for spine curvature disorders:
Helps calm the nervous system
Promotes relaxation of the over tight muscles
Helps reduce and manage pain
Increases circulation
Promotes better, more restful sleep
Increasing mobility and improves flexibility
Enriches mental health
Heightens body awareness
Massage therapy is a great addition to traditional treatments for spine curvature disorders. It should not be viewed as a cure and a sole form of treatment for any of the disorders. Talk to your doctor about which treatments might be best for you in particular. I see more and more doctors recommending massage therapy as a form of pain management over prescribing opioids to help pain management for various health problems. See if massage therapy can help you with pain associated with your spine curvature disorder.