Stupid scoliosis

professorRAT

I have mild scoliosis in my thoracic spine. It makes deadlifts and squats problematic for me, which sucks [pain in thoracic and referred left hip pain]. Anyone want to help me design a killer squat-free leg workout? I can do lunges, weighted bridges and most machines are fine. I am pretty good in the gym, but my lower body needs the most work. I am always looking for creative new ideas and you guys are smarty pantses.

Sarauk2sf

Do you do a split or full body routine?

Martucha123

I also have mild scoliosis, but after 3 months! of working on form I can do squats and deads without the back pain.
How bad is your scoliosis? Maybe you just need a PT to help you with the form...

Strengthening my back also helped me with back pain in general (my back used to hurt even if I was wearing my purse (even the tiniest one) for too long on the same shoulder

professorRAT

Sara, I do splits.

Martucha, I am not sure how bad it is. I didn't know I had it until it was revealed on an MRI, but I do have lots of referred hip pain from it. It is somewhat noticeable at times and when standing as straight as I can I do have one shoulder higher than the other. I can relate to the purse issue! I had a trainer for a year and I think my form is really good, but that is not a bad idea. Perhaps it is time to hire someone who can help with it. I really need to give that some serious thought. Maybe some physical therapy is in order, too. I suspect I am getting some muscle spasms due to the imbalance.

It really didn't bother me much until about 2 years ago. Might be age-related, too, as I am in my late 40s now.

Sarauk2sf

So the hip pain is more due to the imbalance caused by the scoliosis rather than from lifting itself?

How straight is your back when you do squats and deadlifts? Maybe you can take a video to see.

Anyway, a couple of suggestions for a leg workout:

- Try non-weighted squats such as pistol squats and bulgarian split squats
- Lunges that you do anyway (include side lunges to get more adductors involved)
- Have you tried pull throughs? They are pretty embarrassing to do but work the the same leg muscles as squats plus the get your core as you need to stabilize - you can adapt your stance to get more quads or more hamstrings (although I have a problem getting more hamstrings involved as you need to be a bit more upright and the weight pulls me back)
- leg extensions for quads
- the weighted bridges you do are very good for the glutes
- seated leg curls for hammies (I would not recommend the lying ones)
- glute ham raise - if your gym has the contraption to do them on (although you can macgyver one in a couple of different ways).


You probably would not want to do all of these, but I am throwing a few extra out as I am not sure which ones may or may not hurt.

professorRAT

Well, the truth is the cause of the hip pain is a mystery. Every test under the sun has not revealed an obvious cause. However, neurologist thinks it is related to imbalance from the scoliosis. I should probably suck it up and hire a physical therapist to work on it. Neuro thinks it best to stay away from squats with weights (especially bar).

Challenging non-weighted squat variations are a good idea, bulgarian I should do; pistols seem impossible to me!

I am in love with the weighted bridges, so they will remain. I don't know what pull throughs are, but I am going to google it and get on it. I have a very strong core, so I will probably be able to deal with it and I tend to like things that require stabilization. I feel I do pretty well on the hams and really need something better for quads; leg extensions just don't cut it for me for some reason.

Thanks very much for the useful ideas!!

heybales

Did they look for un-equal leg length during that MRI. If they included the legs from ankle to hips they can actually measure to see if an issue there, because that could make things worse.

If not physical difference, many have a functional difference, which I'd really expect you to have.

Some relief there can come from balancing out muscle strength and tightness. So Sara's comments on one-legged stuff would be great for the strength part, no problem making the stronger side stronger, or keeping it stronger.

For tightness, trying do the stretches for each side muscles individually and see what if either is tighter, work on stretching that side until they feel even most of the time. Like seated glute stretch, side lunge stretch for adductors, single hamstring and quad stretch, quadratus lumborum side stretch, iliopsoas, ect.
Actually, if you initially write down which ones are tighter to start with, sometimes can clue you in to what type of twisting motion on the hips must be going on, and what may be causing or making it worse.

Of course, if you have a physical unequal leg length, you'll always have imbalances in either of those until you shim a foot.

But functional shorter leg can be assisted with strength and stretching, and catching yourself walking or standing uneven.

professorRAT

Thanks so much heybales, VERY helpful. I don't think they checked relative leg lengths but I don't really think it is an issue. Still, worth asking about!

I really think your points about one-legged exercises and stretching is spot on. I have a feeling that my lat muscle, or perhaps some smaller interior muscle, is chronically tight on the left side and pulling on my hip. Reading your post makes me even more convinced I likely need a physical therapist.

heybales

Thanks so much heybales, VERY helpful. I don't think they checked relative leg lengths but I don't really think it is an issue. Still, worth asking about!

I really think your points about one-legged exercises and stretching is spot on. I have a feeling that my lat muscle, or perhaps some smaller interior muscle, is chronically tight on the left side and pulling on my hip. Reading your post makes me even more convinced I likely need a physical therapist.

I went for ankle recovery therapy, during assessment she just off-handed remarked one leg was longer. I said ya chiro always says that and tries to adjust even. She said no, not functional because of moved hips, literally, look, and showed me.

No wonder chiro could never be successful, he assumed hips not moving causes shorter leg. His adjustment actually was making things worse. Fortunately the resulting muscle imbalances usually immediately messed up his work.

But inserts and a better chiro that did Active Release Technique for tight muscles fixed me up. Stretching for the muscles pulling me out of whack helped too. I had minor strength differences.

Mine ends up being in the bend of the lower leg. Not bow-legged, but left curves more, causing it to be shorter, right at knee.

Never bothered me as much when younger doing endurance stuff, but body can't take the stress as much now it made a difference.