‘How does a functional scoliosis develop and how does it lead to pain?’
(part 2 in a series of 5)
HOW DOES A FUNCTIONAL SCOLIOSIS DEVELOP?
– As mentioned in my last post, a functional scoliosis is a set of curves in your spine that appears to occur in response to rotation of the pelvis, from repetitive movements. On looking at a rear view photo of your spine, you may notice that the right waist angle is sharper, the left shoulder blade rounded further forwards and the right shoulder blade is sitting higher. This is likely to occur due to the PELVIS ELEVATING on the RIGHT and ROTATING to the LEFT (see the video below), around the axis of your left hip joint. In response to this, the LUMBAR/MIDDLE SPINE appears to rotate to the RIGHT, to compensate and finally, the head rotates to the left. The ribs are also affected by the compensatory scoliosis, causing the shoulder blades to alter their position. You are likely to automatically correct your head back to the midline position, but that means that you are walking around with your head turned more to the right than you realise! However, EVERYTHING ELSE stays in the same position – that is how you can tell that you may have a functional scoliosis…
– The areas of the spine where the maximum compensation occurs are what I refer to as the CORRECTION ZONES: 1. at the waist to compensate for the original twist between the pelvis and the last vertebra (L5) 2. between the shoulder blades to compensate for correction zone 1 and then 3. in your neck. It is at these correction zones that you are likely to be the most tender and tight, with the possibility of referral pain into other areas e.g. zone 1 tends to refer into the left sacroiliac joint or left buttock. The pain appears to be from distorted discs and joints, which are, in the adult spine, likely to already have some degeneration. This mechanism can even cause pain in teenagers – abnormal forces on normal joints will cause pain, if they are sustained for long periods. In addition, the nervous system (in particular the spinal cord and its coverings), appears to have to travel a greater distance around the scoliosis, potentially increasing tension in the nerves in the legs e.g. sciatica. The protective gliding ability of the nerves throughout the body seems to be impacted, creating the potential for injury in other parts of the body.
NEXT TIME : WHAT IS IT THAT CAUSES THE FUNCTIONAL SCOLIOSIS? (part 3 in a series of 5)
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