# Any riders with Scoliosis?



## rocky pony

How bad is it? Is it a pretty big curve or just a slight one?

I have minor scoliosis, enough to be able to feel the slight curve when I touch my spine and enough to cause me a lot of chronic back pain and be susceptible to injuries, but not enough to warrant serious treatment or surgery. Regular exercise actually seems to help a lot with the pain and discomfort. It helps strengthen the muscles on both sides of the curve. I walk and job regularly in addition to riding and all together it's made my back feel better than it did when I tried organized physical therapy (while recovering from an injury caused by the strain from the scoliosis).

If you noticed discomfort from jumping, I'd maybe say just avoid jumping.


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## Cimarron

I have major scoliosis (like full on s curve with 30+ degrees of curve on both thoracic and lumbar) and I ride dressage where you want to sit as evenly as possible (quite a challenge). 
I was diagnosed when I wad 6/7 and my mom made me quit riding because of it. Now that I am done growing (im presently 17) , I have gotten back into horses a year ago. 
It bothers me too, sometimes I feel like is prohibiting me from being a good rider. 
However I still ride and enjoy it. I have never had my back pop or anything.
I benefit from lunge lessons and have been working on strengthening my core to limit hip/shoulder rotation and stuff. Seems to be working. 
Don't let it limit you!!


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## zookeeper1991

Yes. I had the surgery for it when I was younger. Affects my range of motion in my back of course, was around lower ribs/waist area. Also affects my confidence somewhat (never want to go through that surgery again!) I think there are lots of people on here with it.


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## texas cowgurl

It's not major enough for surgery but enough I can feel it with my hand. Enough to cause me pain! 
No jumping when it popped, made it feel better. Odd....
I get massages weekly to loosen up my muscles on my spine, it helps!


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## Roman

I have a slight scoliosis. My spine is off 13 degrees, which the doctor said was nothing to worry about.


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## texas cowgurl

Roman said:


> I have a slight scoliosis. My spine is off 13 degrees, which the doctor said was nothing to worry about.


Does it cause you pain?


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## LittleBayMare

I have some minor scoliosis. I forget how many degrees exactly. It may have contributed to my burst fracture in my spine when I got dumped a year ago. Now I've got bars and screws in my spine. Still riding though. :cowboy:


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## Hadassah

I have mild scoliosis, and disc in L5 is gone from being ruptured. I used to to be a distance runner but it just kept my back and hips screwed up. I have embraced swimming laps and found a true talent there, including flip turns. Swimming a mile several times a week. Plus, I hike 2 to 4 miles daily (if I can and temps above 10 degrees) with my three dogs. And, I invested in a a whole body vibration machine which is a godsend. As long as I keep moving (but you will only see me run if I am being chased by a bear, Hasn't happened yet but just saying) keep my weight under 120, I feel great. Yeah, my back will always be a little stiff and one shoulder is higher than the other, and I'm probably insane to get back into riding and endurance but hey, maybe I can find a gaited horse! I'm 50 now but I've decided that it is all worth it. Can tolerate a little stiffness.

P.S. When I was a kid I kept getting instructed over and over that I wasn't sitting in the saddle square enough during western pleasure classes and gee, no one ever stopped to think that it was a physical issue.


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## Remali

I have mild scoliosis, it doesn't cause me much grief. But I also have degenerative disk disease that is quite severe; I am missing two disks in my lumbar spine, from previous herniated disks that have now atrophied; and a few other lumbar spine troubles. At times I wasn't able to ride much (I am horseless now), but most of the time, as long as I was really careful, I could ride (but I did need to take pain meds for it), I just had to make sure not to sit the trot, and not a lot of cantering if my back was a bit sore.


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