Category: Other Medical Issues

 

According to current reports, there is as many as 20% of young athletes that are diagnosed with scoliosis. Indeed, sports and scoliosis are often seen together.

A lot of parents are concerned about allowing their children with scoliosis to engage in sports. Exercise is vital to any effective treatment regimen. It helps prevent muscle stiffness, builds core muscles, particularly those that strengthen the spine and improves overall health and well-being. This fact is backed by the studies that were published in the Journal o Chiropractic Medicine, which stated physical activity is beneficial for those with scoliosis.

Sports Dos For Scoliosis

Some of the sports that individuals with scoliosis can play and engage in include:

1. Swimming. This has been a recommended sport and hobby continuously for scoliosis through the years. It is an ideal complement that doctors prescribe because it builds strength in the spine without unnecessary weight. It also uses most, if not all, major muscles of the body in a more balanced way compared to other sports. However, doctors agree that scoliotic patients should be on the side of caution when it comes to competitive swimming.

 

2. Children and adults can benefit from soccer, especially those with curvatures in the mid-back. When playing, the core muscles contract to retain the spinal shape of the thoracic area, which further prevents flattening.

3. Cycling is a low-impact sport that provides a complete cardiovascular exercise without putting much impact on the spine and the scoliosis curves. The only limitation for this sport is off-road cycling, which can impinge the structures inside the spine.

 

4. Strength Training. Improving strength is vital for an individual with spinal conditions because strong muscles are needed to support the spine. But it is just as important to do it the right way. Increasing weight should be done incrementally to prevent more stress on the spine, which would, in turn, worsen the spine condition. Lifting weights above the head and squatting are complete contraindications.

 

5. Flexibility is crucial for people with scoliosis, which is why it is very beneficial to incorporate stretching into their routine. Frequent stretching alleviates tension in the back muscles and restores movement. If correctly performed, stretching can help counter the spine’s abnormal curves. Just do your research and learn what stretches are not appropriate for your specific curvature. If you’re doing yoga, for instance, find alternative poses that would prevent you from hyper-extending or over-twisting your spine.

Sports Don’ts For Scoliosis

Playing doesn’t cause scoliosis, but it can exacerbate the condition. It’s okay to play recreationally but not at a competitive level, as there will be many hours involved in competitive training. Most often, the doctor doesn’t recommend you to stop playing a particular sport altogether, but the young are usually told to limit the frequency of playing sports that:

Hyper-Extend The Mid Back. In the young athletes’ category, the highest frequency of scoliosis is seen among gymnasts and dancers. When they dance or perform gymnastics, they are almost always doing backbends that results in rotation of the vertebrae towards the hollow or concave side of the spine, leading to exacerbation.

Cause The Spine To Be Compressed. Whenever a child jumps, hops or runs, his spine is compressed. In the young with scoliosis, repeated high-impact activities put a lot of stress on the spine, which can undoubtedly increase the scoliosis curvature over time. Football is a sport where many young athletes are seen with increasing curves. Squatting, cheerleading, weightlifting overhead, and long-distance running are also some activities that should be limited, if not avoided.

Final Thoughts

While some activities should be restricted or avoided, scoliosis, and engaging in sports, do go hand in hand. Thus, allowing children and teens with scoliosis to continue playing their favorite sports but with the appropriate limitations, can be critical to an effective treatment.

 

 

 

I have C-curve scoliosis that my parents found out when I was about five. After the growth spurt, the healthcare team assigned to me decided to let me wear a brace and go through surgery, which I am now actually thankful for.

I am lucky that growing up, I never really felt that my scoliosis distracted or stopped me from doing the things I loved, although I do acknowledge that there are side effects to the misalignment of my body. When I reached the age of 18, I started doing yoga and I am still doing it today. It is this yoga journey of mine that made me understand the ways of my scoliotic spine and how to deal with it.

Scoliosis Defined

It technically means a lateral curvature of the spine. While in normal circumstances, your spine would be erect and straight, with scoliosis, it creates an S or a C curve. This curve may be present in the thoracic, lumbar, or sacral spine.

The two primary types of scoliosis are functional and structural. Most of us have a mild category of functional scoliosis, which may be due to repetitive activities to only one side of the body, like carrying your bag on one particular side for years. This happens typically because of muscle development instead of something structural or innate.

Structural scoliosis, on the other hand, affects the structures of the body and is mostly discovered in childhood. This type of scoliosis results in muscle tightness on one side of the body, leading to one lung having less space than the other. Most individuals with moderate to severe scoliosis have tried medical and surgical treatments or routine appointments when they were kids. But what can yoga possibly offer?

Yoga For Scoliosis

If you want to incorporate yoga into your other exercises to help alleviate your scoliosis, the goal is to release the tight muscles that have been contracted and to increase the strength of the weakened muscles. The key is to understand and accept the way we are built and the way we are. We must not expect yoga to correct the curve of our spine miraculously, but it certainly provides us with solutions on treating our bodies to enhance health and improve balance.

Useful Yoga Poses

• To Lengthen The Spine

Cat and Cow. This stretches the supporting muscles of the spine and provides an opening of the vertebrae.

Child’s Pose. It relaxes the back muscles.

• Asymmetrical Poses

When you have scoliosis, the two sides of your body have different necessities, so it is important to work with asymmetrical types of poses to isolate the various muscles that you need to work on. You will also need to do poses for both sides to emphasize balance.

• The Twists

Some books and articles report that twists may not be useful for scoliosis, there has been plenty of evidence that it does help improve scoliosis. It is effective in releasing energy from the spine. You can start twisting while seated with the spine erect and the feet together. Your restriction or tolerance for pain will depend on your body. Let it guide you.

• Triangle Pose. This lengthens and widens the spine. You can reach towards a chair to concentrate on lengthening the thoracic spine by flexing forward. This is for the concave or hollow side. For the convex or rounded side, on the other hand, try to reach the lower hand to your shin and your upper hand towards the sacrum instead of reaching out to the ceiling. All these emphasize twisting on your upper body and opening of your shoulders.

Conclusion

As with any condition – mild, moderate, or severe – it is always wise to see a doctor and having yourself checked before starting this yoga journey.

 

 

Scoliosis is a condition that affects the curvature of one’s spine and is said to affect about 2-3% of the world’s population. While it may not be as physically noticeable in some, it affects each person emotionally to some degree.

 

Continue reading Providing Emotional Support To Your Partner With Scoliosis

Scoliosis is a medical condition wherein it causes the spine to curve on one side. It can affect not only the posture of the person but also his capabilities. In fact, living with scoliosis can be hard for people who wish to have kids someday. However, it is not impossible.

 

Continue reading Scoliosis And Married Life

The spine is a fundamental part of the body that serves to hold and protect the spinal cord – where the nerves connect to the brain. It also controls the body’s movement. However, when the spine makes an inappropriate rotation, it creates what the therapist calls a rib hump. The condition is known as scoliosis. It gets represented by making the body look like an S or C body formation. Usually, it is due to the ribs too much movement that somehow creates a noticeable imbalance physical structure in the upper torso. It creates a significant difference in the breast and changes chest size also. It makes the shoulders and waist appear uneven as well. As an individual with scoliosis, the curve of the body becomes more considerable as he grows. That is up in about 45 to 50 degrees total spine deformation.  And without proper medical assistance, the struggle can go on throughout the person’s life.

Continue reading Addressing Scoliosis – A Therapist Helpful Guidelines

Being a regular adolescent is already hard enough. Your body goes through a lot of significant changes, and being diagnosed with idiopathic scoliosis is even harder. Idiopathic scoliosis is an abnormal curve of a person’s backbone that can affect their posture. Sometimes, this causes pain that can be hard to tolerate. There is still no known cause as to why this happens, and that makes it even harder to treat. Medical treatments are the priorities of both medical professionals and parents when their adolescent child is suffering from this sickness. And what parents fail to realize is that there is no attention given to the emotional health of the child. Psychologists say that this can also greatly affect their self-confidence and self-esteem. Emotional support must be given to those who have this problem.

Continue reading Scoliosis In Adolescents And Its Effects On Their Emotional Health, According To Psychologists

A parent wants nothing but the best for his child. No mother or father in this world wishes for something unfortunate to take place in the life of his or her kid. As such, it is only normal if you feel like you have to protect your teen for any danger that may come into his life. Do not feel bad if you act strange or strict to ensure that your teenage child will not suffer in this world. This is why you may consider sending your teen to a boarding school or even go for therapy online.

Unfortunately, several things are not under your control. No matter how hard you make an effort to keep your child to be away from danger or bad influence, they may still end up on the bad side. This situation can lead to rebellion or worse, depression. If you are going through this difficult phase in your life as a parent to a troubled teenager, then we highly recommend that you finish this article from start to bottom.

For today’s post, our highlight will be about the possible need to try therapy online. “Therapy is extremely personal and intimate, you don’t want to have to go with the only one that has availability,” says Sena Moran, LMHC. The best part about the recent developments in the field of technology is that you can always get in touch with the right professionals who can assist you in your medical concerns or mental health problems. In this case, you have to seek professional help, not for your sanity but your teenager. Below are the top tips to remember when it comes to trying this mode of treatment for your teen:

Assess The Situation First

As a mother, you are the best person to know if there is indeed something wrong in your child’s life. Has there been a significant change in his attitude? Did he experience a traumatic event recently? When was the last time he acted normal? These are the kinds of questions to consider before contacting a therapist. Make sure that you have already assessed the situation so that you can provide correct details to the teen mental health expert, especially if you are going to do it online.

Talk To Your Teen

Another step that you must resort to before contacting a therapist is to talk to your teen. It is essential to establish an honest and open communication with him. As a parent, it is your role to see to it that he would feel comfortable talking to you about anything under the sun. You need to make an effort in reaching out to your teen and try to fix the problem before it gets worst. However, in a situation where his attitude has become impossible to handle, you can always tell him that it is time to seek professional help. “It is a healing process that allows people to not only start feeling better but gain insight, awareness, and ultimately begin trusting their intuition and experience.” Dr. Mitch Keil, a clinical psychologist said.

Do Your Research

Do not rush the process of looking for the right therapist to help your child. As much as possible, contact someone who has a proven track record in the field of teen counseling or therapy. Otherwise, you will only end up wasting your money. It is ideal to find a mental health expert who has experience in treating troubled teenagers. The reason behind this is that he is more likely to change the bad or negative habits compared to other professionals who have little or no experience at all. Moreover, you can also view and read online journals and check the therapists or companies mentioned.

Be Supportive

Trying out therapy online for the first time can be complicated and confusing. Hence, you may hear your child complaining about the set-up. In this kind of situation, the best way to handle the issue is to show your teen that you support him all the way. Make him feel that you are by his side in every step of the way. You can constantly remind him of his online sessions until he gets used to it. Furthermore, you may also consider taking care of the online expenses ahead of time so that there will be no issues in the arrangement.

Do not hesitate to try online therapy for your teen. Show him the benefits and advantages of going through the entire treatment process through virtual sessions. Over time, he will start to realize that everything you do is for his good. But remember that “Online care is not for every patient or practitioner. Clients with more serious mental illnesses or addictions likely need more treatment than digital therapy can provide. And some clinicians may find certain telehealth modalities difficult,” says clinical psychologist Nina Barlevy, PsyD.

Worried about your teen mental health?

According to a doctor and a professional expert, the increasing rate of youth suicide is quite alarming. Teen mental health is a very important subject for families, especially for parents who have troubled youngsters. In most mental health issues involving a child and adolescent, the condition also significantly affects their academic performance and self-care. The crisis can deeply impact people in their home environment, making it crucial for families to be informed and supportive.

Adolescents’ Guide To Improving Mental Health

How Important Is Psychological Wellness?

Children with optimal well-being will most likely excel in their schools. What is its concept and how can we emphasize its significance? Is adolescent psych health hard to achieve? Let’s discuss more of it in this article.

Parent Of Troubled Adolescents – Learning About Life In General

If you are a parent of troubled youth, you should learn more about your child’s mental health and cognitive development and how to improve on it. The mental health of your adolescent may affect his schoolwork, social relationships, and life factors in general. Your kid must learn how to improve his wellness. Optimal mental health care most frequently assures a more positive and confident mindset and fewer disability issues. Yes,  young adults with mental health, in general, are crucial.

Firstly, you have to understand the importance of improving your centers of cognitive wellness.  In this article, allow us to provide you with the perfect guide on improving one’s mental health, particularly teen mental health. You can check out BetterHelp for more of these treatment options and tips, just in case.

Improving Teen Mental Health

Did you know that an adolescent can overreact about most cases and situations that he encounters daily and see on social media? Unfortunately, many adolescents are confused about what is going on in their lives and this tremendously affects their mental health condition. The best way to be happier and improve overall mental health is to be strong enough to identify the consequences that cause you pain and suffering. Catherine “Katie” Ness, MA, LCPC  says, “Making the decision to enter into treatment requires a commitment to prioritize your mental health and make significant life changes.” An adolescent and his psychological balance should be a priority for parents.

Tips For Teen Mental Health

Be With Friends

The mental health of an adolescent is also affected when he feels lonely or depressed. When an adolescent becomes insecure or anti-social, his mental health is not in the right place. His mental health is at risk. Thus, they should have supportive environments with healthy relationships so they can identify and have critical knowledge to cope with whatever negative things come their way.

As a parent, allow your adolescent to be with people he enjoys being with. This helps foster disease control and positive cognitive improvement. It also reduces fear or anxiety disorders, food eating disorders, anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa, and other childhood mental health conditions that have bigger risks of evolving. The influence of social media can also play a significant role in how young people perceive themselves, further contributing to these disorders.

Adolescence is a crucial period for young adulthood or high school students because this age group is prone to alcohol and substance use or drug use. Their negative habits and interest in drugs can cause them to have early warning signs of depression and addiction. Sometimes, their developed depression symptoms, compounded by attention deficit issues, lead to unwanted difficult feelings or emotional stress can pressure them into a stigma, and promote self-harm and suicide.

That explains why most of them have a range of suicidal thoughts, with difficulty in education and learning, have issues with community interaction, deal with severe family violence, and more.

“Your environment can greatly impact how you feel.” A reminder from Marjie L. Roddick, MA, NCC, LMHC.F 

Talk To An Elder

Sometimes, you have to hear the support and wisdom coming from an elder. Cliché as it may sound, you are still young – just a kid whose cognitive health is fragile. One-third of kids’ experiences within the community will not only mold and shape their physical and mental health and may require guidance from teachers and adults.

Therefore, it’s best if you can make efforts to connect with an elder who can impart a thing or two about life. Listen to their stories, review, and learn from their experience. The mere act of talking about your family and life concerns or having persistent feelings of excessive worry is already therapeutic and beneficial for your mental health. This can prevent you from rapid suicide attempts and possibly leading to death.

As Nikki Martinez, Psy.D. LCPC explains, “We only have control of ourselves and our own desire for growth and change. Part of that growth and change is deciding the type of person we allow in our lives.”

Teens Mental Wellness Final Thoughts

The top three things mentioned above are not exclusive, which means that there are other prevention and strategies that you can use to improve your cognitive health. We only emphasize the tips listed above because we believe that as an adolescent, especially those dealing with attention deficit hyperactivity issues, these ones have proven effective for you. As long as you know how to follow the intended normal guides, you are bound to have stable mental health and an improved mood.

If you find it hard to address and achieve good mental health after reading this, try to seek access to therapy or other health services. It’s essential to recognize when professional help, especially when dealing with deficit hyperactivity, is needed.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Are The Signs Of Mental Health Problems In Many Adolescents?

Signs of mental health problems in many adolescents can vary, but some may exhibit behaviors consistent with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. This includes frequent inattentiveness, impulsiveness, and, as the name suggests, hyperactivity disorder symptoms like constant fidgeting or difficulty staying seated. Another manifestation is the deficit hyperactivity disorder, where there is a prominent gap in focusing and overactive behaviors compared to peers.

What Causes Youth Mental Illness?

How Do I Know If My Child Is Struggling With Mental Illness?

What Is The Most Common Mental Illness In Youth?

What Are The Benefits Of Being Mentally Tough?

How Can I Help And Protect My Teen With Mental Health?

Is mental health a social issue?

Why is mental health rising in youth?

What helps youth mental health?

How do parents affect teens’ mental health?

How does school affect a teen’s mental health?

What are the questions to ask in youth mental health?

What happens if mental health goes untreated?

At what age do mental health issues start?

What kind of questions are asked in mental assessment?

Dressing up is one of the things that a lot of teenage girls enjoy. It feels good to shop for dresses, shirts, blouses, skirts, and pants that are so trendy. Because of this, several department stores and boutiques have taken advantage of this common practice by increasing their inventories every month. The entrepreneurs behind these clothing lines make an effort to come up with pieces of clothing that can satisfy the varying needs and styles of different consumers.

 

 

Unfortunately, some teens do not get to enjoy easy access to these trendy clothing especially for those who are suffering from scoliosis. This medical condition prevents them from staying on top of the fashion world because several teenage girls start to lose confidence due to their current state. The physical deformity brought by this condition can also make some girls suffer.

 

For this reason, we have decided to come up with an article that talks about the perfect fashion tips for women who have scoliosis. If you are one of them, then make sure to check this write up from start to finish. Remember that you can still dress confidently, as long as you know how to handle your emotions. Below are some of the tips and tricks to remember:

 

Prioritize Comfort

 

Avoid stressing yourself over fashionable items that will not look flattering on you. Instead, focus on those that will make you feel comfortable. Keep in mind that the perfect clothing is one that does not cause any inconvenience on your part. If you believe that a particular dress or blouse would be dug into the curve of your back, be sure to avoid wearing it. Choose something comfortable yet stylish.

 

 

Wear The Right Shoes

 

One of the essential things that every person with scoliosis must remember is the fact that your shoes can have a big effect on your posture. If you keep on wearing high heels or wedges, then there is a high possibility that you will increase the risks to your medical condition. It can lead to an increase in the symptoms of scoliosis, which will eventually lead to a worse medical issue. As such, it is best to wear flip-flops or flat sandals so that your spine will not be harmed any longer.

 

Invest in Outfits

 

Remember that branded clothing does not necessarily mean that it is the best in the market. As such, there is no need on your part to pay large amounts of money for your outfits. What is essential is to buy the proper clothing that will serve its purpose. When we speak of “investment,” it refers to your ability to study whether a particular item is worth its price or not. Do not make rash decisions when it comes to buying your pair of jeans, dresses or even gowns. Think carefully before purchasing an item, just like how you would normally look at an investment.

 

 

Try It On First

 

In connection to the tip mentioned above, do not forget to try an item first before buying it. Fortunately, many stores and shops have created dressing rooms for all its customers. Do not hesitate to use these rooms to ensure that you will not commit an error in making a choice. Keep in mind that some fashionable items look good on display but do not look great when worn. Conversely, some outfits appear to be rubbish but provides a good fit once worn. Take your time as you shop for your wardrobe.

 

Shop Ahead Of Time

 

If you are going to attend a party and do not have an idea of what to wear, the best option is to shop at least three weeks before the scheduled event. Having scoliosis can be a challenge when it comes to choosing your event outfit. As such, it is best if you would schedule your shopping activity at an earlier time. In so doing, you will not feel any pressure as you look for the right dress or gown to wear. You can also check out magazines or look book blogs before shopping so that you will have an idea on what to look for.

 

Conclusion

 

Remember that what you wear defines who you are. Never stress yourself in choosing an outfit or clothing. Instead, enjoy every moment that you get in shopping for the above-mentioned fashionable items. At the same time, feel free to ask some recommendations or tips from your friends or family member.

 

You can even ask anyone of them to accompany you in your shopping spree. Sometimes, all you need is to hear the comment of others so that you will not have a hard time making a purchase. As a teen, do not be afraid to mix and match. As long as you follow the tips mentioned above, you are good to go. Have fun in experimenting fashion in your teenage years.