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The scoliosis 30 day exercise and stretching challenge

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  • The scoliosis 30 day exercise and stretching challenge

    Hey everyone,
    Foofer just inspired me to begin a 30 day challenge where we do a combination of stretches and exercises every day for 30 days starting from November 1st. The reason I set the date so late is so you can start composing your own exercise and stretch program.
    The goal with the 30 day challenge is to see how much our pain state has improved after a 30 day period of disciplined stretching and exercising.


    An example could be:
    Monday: swimming (Breast stroke ) and specific neck stretches from X book on page XX-XXX
    Tuesday: squats, core exercises, glutes.
    Wednesday: stretches and exercises from the book "health in your hands" page XX-XXX
    Thursday....etc.

    In order for some of you to do this, you might need some inspiration, so I made a list of some of the best books I have read regarding scoliosis, back pain and neck pain.
    Great books I can recommend
    Health in your hands by Dr. Kevin Lau (great for understanding how nutrition effect scoliosis and filled with great exercises)
    The multifidus back pain solution by Jim Johnson (for people with back pain)
    Rebuilding your neck - Dean Moyer (for people with neck pain and headaches)
    Overcoming Back and neck pain by Lisa Morrone (an all-around book with a lot of great exercises and helathy movement pattern ilustrations)

    The idea is that we each find the exercises and stretches that make us feel good individually, and then we add them into our exercise routine.


    Some affirmations in order to motivate and ensure that we stick to our own program could be
    "No matter how many things I have to do today, I promise myself that I will create the time to exercise in order to improve my condition."
    "I exercise for the benefit of me."
    "I accept the way my body looks, even in public, when working out in the gym or swimming."

    It's important during this period that we don't let excuses hold us back from achieving what we want.

    Who's in for it???

  • #2
    I'm in!

    More later....
    Amy
    58 yrs old, diagnosed at 31, never braced
    Measured T-64, L-65 in 2009
    Measured T-57, L-56 in 2010, different doc
    2 lumbar levels spondylolisthesis
    Exercising to correct

    Comment


    • #3
      Excellent Christian, truly a supportive thing. Thanks for doing this & count me in too!

      Comment


      • #4
        Can I play, too?

        Comment


        • #5
          Count me in too! I recently decided to schedule a private yoga session with a woman who has experience working with people with scoliosis, so she should be able to provide some good exercises. I will pass them on.
          Lori in PA, 52 yrs. old
          T54/L72
          Surgery 6/7/11, T3-S1, all posterior, with pelvic anchors
          Gained 2 inches!
          Dr. Boachie, HSS, NYC
          12/10/13 Hardware Removal for infection
          Lost 2", gained PJK!

          Comment


          • #6
            wish i could...too much constant pain...
            especially from degenerated discs!!
            can barely move...
            used to work out 3-4 times a week at gym!

            good luck all...
            happy you are able to do it!

            jess

            Comment


            • #7
              Chair Yoga

              Hey Jess - I hear you .. I won't be doing anything strenuous - could cause more harm than good. My exercise routine will be very low impact but I'm glad to have some buddies to keep me inspired.

              I recently came across something called Chair Yoga.

              http://getfitwhereyousit.com/

              Thought I might work it into my "routine." Maybe you too?

              Comment


              • #8
                thanks...i'll take a look...

                these days, it is an accomplishment just getting out of bed! takes a few pills, and an hour or two for them to kick in!

                jess

                Comment


                • #9
                  Great to hear!
                  So far we are:
                  Foofer
                  Mamamax
                  Twisted lifter
                  Lorz


                  Jess: I'm sory to hear about your condition. I was wondering if there is anything we can do to minimize the pain?? I know minerals and vitamins can have a very healing effect on arthritis. A couple weeks ago I read in the newspaper about a woman named Sarah Gall who has helped many people become pain free living with artritis through their diet. You might want to check out her website
                  http://www.arthritisrecovery.co.uk/

                  Have you tried reading some books about how to better your condition? Maybe a diet plan for that month would be a good challenge? Maybe trying the diet from her website, mixed with some great knowledge on nutrition from the book "health in your hands" by kevin lau specifically written for people with osteoporosis and scoliosis.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    So a new idea just arose . Should we mix the exercise month with a specifically designed diet program aimed toward building bone strength and minimizing pain from degenerative discs??

                    What would it take? Maybe we would need to start looking for information and research done on artritis, osteoporosis (maybe some books from amazon) etc. and then post the useful information here.
                    We could even compose a list of all the minerals and vitamins that are known to help build up discs, and attain bone strenght??
                    On the other hand we could make a list of foods to avoid that month (sugars, alcohol etc.)

                    Just throwing out some ideas.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      far as i know, Christian, per the doctors, destroyed discs are irreversible...don't even know if any of the injections i've gotten have helped them...maybe sacroiliac injections....they gave me relief that lasted for 3 weeks...
                      surgery is what is required for discs...and if all i needed was disc surgery, which a friend of mine had done, i would do it in a heart beat! but no surgeon will operate on me and just do that...i would have to have the discs cleaned out and the fusion surgery as well...

                      the lady advertising her booklet mentions arthritis in her spine...i don't see a mention of degenerative disc disease...

                      good luck to all those exercisers out there!

                      jess
                      Last edited by jrnyc; 09-25-2010, 05:54 AM.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Diet + Exercise

                        Yes, Christian, I do think if our little group is going to partake of this 30 day exercise challenge, that we should also give thought to diet. In thinking about it, I'm struck by the thought that I actually, already do this when examining my current life style. The challenge then, becomes to improve the life style. In my own case, inclusion of some attitude adjustments could be of benefit :-)

                        Over the last few months I've researched the benefits of adding raw garlic to my diet (in a way that is odor free) .... my reasoning for doing so was multi-fold, but primarily based on the anti inflammatory properties of garlic combined with the connection between inflammation and pain. After a month of garlic therapy, the results, for me, have been very much worthwhile. However, garlic is not for everyone, there are possible interactions with medications and certain medical conditions which would exempt some from doing a similar thing.

                        Generally speaking, I think diet is very important to health - and that whenever possible, organic food is best ... along with adequate hydration, enjoyable exercise, rest, positive attitude and even seeking out like minded folks ... with avoidance of things that would cancel out the benefits (smoking & general over indulgence in other bad stuff).

                        Such a journey seems challenging - and uniquely individual ... involving (for some like me), baby steps. In other words - you won't find me suddenly trying to go jogging after years of a sedentary life style :-)

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          jess

                          I wish I could help you, and I understand that your situation is very grave.. If I ever find something about degenerative disc disease, I will send it to you. I really wish you the best mate.

                          Mamamax

                          Yes attitude adjustment would probably benefit me too :-) Some days I can't stand my neck pain and I almost give up and feel despair. My y x-rays showed osteoarthritis in my lumbar spine between L5 and S1, which I had a hard time accepting, but acceptance is a necessity.
                          I also find organic food amazing and in the book "health in your hands" there is done great research on the difference between organic and nonorganic.

                          So how do we do this? I was thinking that everything we read about and learn the next month about bone strengthening minerals, vitamins, oils , garlic( ill try that one out) etc. we post here and then it's up to us each individually to try out a new diet plan with the exercise plan?

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Getting Organized

                            Christian - I have no idea how to go about all this, but I guess some collective rolling up of the shirt-sleeves and brainstorming may be in order?

                            There is a lot to a well developed exercise program of any kind. Involved are (individual) goals and expectations relative to each .. and like you indicated this begins with understanding where we are in order to move beyond our limitations. Each of us will have our own exercise routine, with our own considerations regarding diet and attitude :-) Hopefully, the group encouragement will help to develop some truly supportive inspiration.

                            Maybe an individual diary for each, that is tabulated according to the different sections. I'm planning on using an electronic version w/Microsoft word that has a notebook view (Mac version). I've attached it here - but I don't know if Windows users will see the same layout available to me. If we recorded information in something like this and used only web link references vs objects and videos - it should remain small enough to share in forum.

                            Here's a good web link to the garlic thing: http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/infocente...micals/garlic/

                            Please, anyone thinking of also using this - read the precautions, they do exist and such a thing is not to be advised for everyone.

                            Generally speaking, when it comes to food being good medicine, I'm all for that (organic of course), and really look forward to your offerings Christian :-)

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Hi All,

                              I'm enjoying this....thanks, Christian.

                              I've done quite a few 30 dayers. Usually I pick one thing and then do that, or not do that for the month. It's always interesting, and I always learn something. This summer, my husband and I gave up white sugar and white flour in the month of July. We are not diehards now but much better. The month of August we gave up going out to eat- had to eat every meal at home. That was hard. We work long hours and the kids have grown up and moved on...but we were doing it way too much. Sept I have been doing my neck and headache exercises daily, and it has truly helped, like amazing. The sad thing is that I probably will always have to do them, but that's okay. And yes, there are times when the game rules get broken, but I always just start again. You have to do that in life anyway.

                              So I'm looking forward to a "biggie" in November, but I also want to encourage everyone to try it, even if they only commit to one small thing. Baby steps are good and they are plenty enough for some. It's not easy to do an overhaul all at once. I'm so glad that we will have each other's company and input.

                              As for attitude, my lifelong tendency is to read a ton and vow to start tomorrow while the treadmill gathers dust in the corner. I do best with outside activities or structured classes, a little harder to do these days with bigger curves in several senses of the phrase. But I love it when I do it, and it doesn't take much to get motivated again.

                              This is a thread that I hope hangs around forever.
                              Amy
                              58 yrs old, diagnosed at 31, never braced
                              Measured T-64, L-65 in 2009
                              Measured T-57, L-56 in 2010, different doc
                              2 lumbar levels spondylolisthesis
                              Exercising to correct

                              Comment

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