Among school-age children, scoliosis is the most common deformity. Each year, nearly 450,000 hospital visits are made by children with scoliosis. It is a serious condition that requires extensive treatment. The burden of scoliosis bracing on life quality can be severe.
A study has shown that children with scoliosis have lower self-esteem compared to children with other common conditions. A 12-year-old child facing the possibility of being braced for life must wonder what their future holds. What sports can I play? Days are gone when you had to sit out of all physical activities during treatment. A new generation of lighter and flexible braces is available for your child to wear during physical activities. Benefits of Sports for Mental Health A plethora of studies have found that active lifestyles reduce stress and contribute to mental well-being. What does scoliosis have to do with this? Scoliosis is a physical condition that causes major debilitating pain. A scoliotic child starts to feel his scoliosis affecting his life quality at an early age. What is more worrisome than scoliosis is the possibility of being braced for life and scoliosis treatment side effects such as back pain, a rib hump, shoulder pain, headaches, and so on. The scoliosis brace can be uncomfortable to wear during physical activities. Scoliotic children are less physically active than their peers without scoliosis. They spend more time in sedentary activities such as watching TV or playing computer games. It is not surprising then that scoliotic children have a higher body mass index (BMI) and more scoliosis treatment side effects. However, it doesn't have to be this way. While many parents are not aware of it, there are many sports a child can enjoy, whether they are dealing with scoliosis bracing or not. What Sports Are Safe for Scoliosis? Cobb angles are used to determine the severity of scoliosis. The Cobb angle is measured by taking two X-ray pictures of your child's back; one while they are standing straight and another when they are bending forward. The difference between these two measurements is expressed in degrees (angle), with smaller numbers representing less severe scoliosis. Scoliosis brace restrictions vary according to the type of scoliosis your child is dealing with:
Some sports should be completely avoided by scoliosis patients, regardless of the severity of their condition:
You will also want to make sure that your child wears their scoliosis brace while participating in any physical activity, even if it is low-impact. A good idea would be for your child to wear their scoliosis brace while playing these sports with their friends or siblings. That way they still get the exercise they need but make sure their scoliosis condition doesn't worsen. Keep Your Child Active and Safe! Whether a child or an adult is suffering from scoliosis and is in a need of scoliosis bracing, there’s no real reason why they should not participate in sports. Of course, it’s important to avoid activities that will put pressure on the spine and make the condition worse. It’s well worth consulting with a specialist, to make sure you’re participating in sports in a way that’s not only safe, but that will also assist your treatment. Feel free to contact the Align Clinic today via phone, email, or fax, and schedule an appointment.
1 Comment
1/26/2022 02:31:56 am
I found this article very interesting, thanks for sharing
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