Do you look in the mirror and notice that one shoulder is higher than the other? When looking at yourself from the side do you notice a hump in your mid back or at the base of your neck? Do you feel or see a twist in your spine or notice you tend to “pop” your hip to one side when standing? All of these can hint to either a structural or functional scoliosis.

A structural scoliosis is a type of scoliosis that is caused from a vertebral or skeletal malformation. An example of this would be a hemivertebrae (partially formed vertebrae or spinal bone), which can cause the bodies weight distribution or muscle firing patterns to be altered.

The second form of scoliosis is a functional scoliosis. This is a type of scoliosis that is caused by habits or common postures. This is the most common cause of scoliosis as most people are creatures of habit. For example, a right-handed artist or athlete will often have some form of right scoliosis due to them predominately activating the right side of their body and musculoskeletal system. Other causes of function scoliosis could be sustaining an injury to one side of the body, forcing the person to only use the other side of the body and continually using the same sleeping position just to name a few.

Both structural and functional scoliosis’s can lead to a slew of symptoms which include abnormal spinal biomechanics, pain, self-image issues, decreased nervous system function and faster joint degeneration. Adaptation is a powerful tool for our body, but it can be recognized as both blessing and a curse. Abnormal posture or scoliosis can manifest itself as spinal instability and lead to what is called subluxation. A chiropractor’s expertise in adjusting subluxations helps to remove and mobilize joints that may be seized up due to the nervous system deeming them to be unstable. After removing subluxation, muscle firing patterns are different because of the increased mobility.

In our office, we give spinal mobility and core strengthening exercises to help remap muscle firing patterns and nervous system function. By doing this we can help to decrease symptoms associated with all forms of scoliosis thus helping our patients live a healthier more pain free lifestyle.

Interested in learning more? Call our office at 978-655-4979 to get your spine and nervous system checked today!

Dr. Kyle Truscott