Physical therapy for scoliosis What exercise can and cannot do for a curved spine

Scoliosis is a sideways curve of the spine, usually with some rotation, that most often appears in the teenage years. Many people live with a mild curve and no symptoms, while others have back pain, uneven shoulders or hips, or tire quickly when standing. Physical therapy for scoliosis does not replace a specialist’s care, but it is one of the most useful tools for living well with a curve. The video shows a patient working through it in the therapy gym.

What physical therapy for scoliosis can and cannot do

• It can: ease back pain and muscle fatigue, improve posture awareness and balance, build core and back strength, and help you stay active in sport and work
• It may: help limit progression in some growing teens when combined with monitoring and bracing, as part of a specialist’s plan
• It cannot: make a structural curve disappear or replace bracing or surgery when a specialist recommends them

Scoliosis is listed among the conditions on our lower back pain page, and our upper back pain page covers the mid-back, where many curves sit.

Scoliosis exercises a physical therapist may use

1. Posture awareness and self-correction: learning, often with a mirror, how to lengthen the spine and shift out of the curve
2. Breathing into the concave side: directing the breath into the compressed part of the rib cage
3. Core and back strengthening: planks, bird dogs and side-lying work, adjusted to the curve
4. Stretching and mobility: for tight muscles on the curve’s concave side and the hips, like the stretch over the table in the video
5. Band and balance work: to build symmetry and control, as the patient does with the resistance band

Your therapist chooses and adapts these to your curve pattern, age and goals, and teaches a home program, because daily practice matters most.

Physical therapy for scoliosis in teens and adults

Teens: a curve that is still growing needs regular checks with a specialist and X-rays to see whether it is progressing. Exercise supports that plan and helps with posture, strength and confidence, and keeping teens in sport is usually encouraged.

Adults: adult scoliosis, including curves that develop with age from wear in the discs and joints, often causes back pain, stiffness and fatigue. Therapy focuses on strength, mobility and pacing, and our pain management physicians can help when pain or nerve symptoms persist. Read more about wear-related changes in our lumbar spondylosis guide.

When to see a specialist

See a physician if you notice uneven shoulders, hips or waist, a rib hump when bending forward, a curve that seems to be getting worse, or back pain with numbness, tingling or leg weakness. A specialist measures the curve on X-ray and decides on monitoring, bracing or other treatment, and a physical therapist can then build the exercise plan. If you are new to therapy, our post on what to expect at physical therapy explains the first visit.

Related care at Precision Care Medical & Sports Performance

Physical therapy for scoliosis near you

Looking for a physical therapist near me for scoliosis? Physical therapy for scoliosis is offered at both of our physical therapy offices, in Brooklyn and on Staten Island, so you can choose the one closer to home. For physical therapy in Brooklyn, physical therapists Zoya Reznik, DPT, OCS and Maggie (Yi) Zhang, DPT, with physical therapist assistants Dennis Furman, PTA and Leila Nahmoud, PTA see patients at our Brooklyn physical therapy office on Shell Rd, close to Midwood, Gravesend and Marine Park, where Ashley Marcus, MD sees patients with back pain. For physical therapy on Staten Island, physical therapists Victoria Lynn Kain, DPT and Nicholas “Nick” Ursini, DPT work at our Staten Island physical therapy office on Richmond Rd, a short drive from Great Kills, Grant City and New Dorp, where Jake Stephen, DO also sees patients.

In Manhattan, Yuri Gordin, MD sees adults with back pain at the Precision Care Spine & Pain Center in Midtown Manhattan, convenient to the Upper East Side, Spanish Harlem and Washington Heights; physical therapy is not offered at the Manhattan office. Request an appointment or call the office closest to you.

Questions patients ask

Educational only, not medical advice. These videos and this article explain common problems and treatments in general terms. They are not a diagnosis or a treatment plan for you. Results vary from person to person. See a qualified clinician about your own symptoms, and call 911 or go to an emergency room for an emergency.

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