Recognizing and Celebrating Your Progress

The New York Scoliosis CLEAR Treatment Center is not a quick fix place. It took a long time for your spine to form the scoliosis curvature you had when you first came to us. Therefore, it stands to reason that it may take some time to re-lengthen it and make the changes permanent.

This does not have to be bad thing. In fact, given some patience and increased awareness, this process can be a very joyful and exciting time in your life.

We will be doing several x-rays throughout the course of your scoliosis treatment. While an x-ray is an excellent and effective tool to monitor your progress, it is not the only (or perhaps even the most important) tool available to you. An x-ray can’t tell you everything.

It can’t tell you how you feel.

Only you can do that. You’re the only one who lives inside your particular body. You’re the only one who can experience the many changes that are happening on a daily basis now that you are on the road to a healthier alignment.

Your personal observations during scoliosis treatment are going to be very helpful in accelerating your healing. Not only do they help us as your doctors in giving you the best possible care, they also give you the inspiration to keep working and the peace of mind that comes from knowing you are getting better.

Below are a few areas you can explore to become more attuned to your progress. Consider asking yourself these questions immediately following treatment in the office (or after your sessions at home), when the effects are most apparent. Perhaps you’d benefit from recording your observations in a notebook so you can look back and see how things have changed over time.

· Breathing – Scoliosis causes a contorting of the ribcage, which can lead to decreased lung capacity and difficulty breathing. Now, your ribs are slowly starting to right themselves. Inhale deeply after treatment. How does your breathing feel now? Smoother? Fuller? Are there areas of your torso that feel more spacious and at ease?

· Posture/Gait – Many scoliosis patients tend to favor one foot when they stand and walk. During our Neuromuscular Rehabilitation Exercises (NMR), we use weighting techniques to target and strengthen specific postural muscles. How does the weight feel in your feet as you leave the office? More evenly distributed? Do you feel slightly taller? Do sitting and standing feel different?

· Habits/Tendencies – Before you started the CLEAR Treatment, you may have had many scoliosis-related habits and tendencies. Perhaps you needed to crack your neck several times a day to relieve tightness. Maybe your low back ached after sitting for a certain amount of time. You may have even woken up during the night due to areas of your body feeling compressed. How often do these situations occur now? Have they decreased in frequency? In some cases, have they stopped completely?

· Mentality – Having a condition like scoliosis can be troubling and confusing. A considerable portion of your thoughts can easily get caught up in concern over your health and worry over the future. Now that you are actively working on bettering your condition, how do you feel mentally? Are you still worried? Or do you find yourself looking to the future with increasing confidence? How does it feel to have more information, and a system in place to keep improving?

My hope for you is that you use your scoliosis treatment to get better acquainted with your body and your experience. The most important feedback you can get is from yourself. So start listening more attentively. Allow yourself to feel things more deeply.

When you do, I’m confident you’ll spot the small and steady changes occurring every day and find plenty of reasons to celebrate along the way.

-Dr Sid
Esprit Wellness (Find us on Facebook)