What kind of exercise?

[shelleylin]

I am overweight and for weight loss I started lifting weights and using a treadmill last August. I lost about 50 lbs. but got sidelined this spring with leg pain and a rotator cuff problem. I saw an ortho and started PT in April but they finally said they could do no more for me. I started seeing a chiro and she thinks both problems are from scoliosis. Now I wonder what kind of exercise I can do. I read this quote in "Backache: What Exercises Work" and wonder what you guys think about this:

He's talking about a survey done with people with scoliosis: "they fared better with fitness exercises than with the traditional stretching and strengthening movements. (The ususal low back pain exercises). This may be because the spine can become rigid in scoliosis. Thus, a low-back stretch may not achieve for you what it achieves for a person with low-back pain."

He goes on to say that the people who took the survey praised yoga, bicycling, walking, and swimming. What have people experienced?

[rachael]

To loose weight or stay in shape I would recommend anything in water such as swimming, water walking, or water aerobics, since these are the least impactive of most aerobic activities. Running is very impactive and is more difficult to recover from.
Stretching will keep you flexible and help minimize injuries. Strengthening can hurt or be helpful, depending on what you do. I wouldn't go out and just lift weights, but if there is a weak area, there are productive ways to strengthen it. For example, my podiatrist has me in orthotic inserts to "retrain" my muscles in my foot so my step is correct. As of now, my muscles are too weak to do it alone. Neither of these (stretch/strength) will go as far as aerobic activities for weight loss though.
So ultimately it depends on your goal.
Hope this helps