Hello all,

Hope you are all well.

June is Scoliosis Awareness month and it true fashion my back has been hurting a lot more recently.

One of the things I need to do is get some more sport massages booked in. They are very beneficial to my back and mental health. The massages really release a lot of built up tension which causes me to be in pain.

The past few weeks I have been trying to do a few more different exercises on top of the normal stretches I have been given by my physio. The one which I am working on is arm and leg raises. It is quite difficult because I also have Dyspraxia so my balance is not the best. Doing these exercises helps with my back pain and helps my balance. So that’s two problems being addressed in one.

Doing the exercises in the long term will help to improve my core strength which will allow me to cary myself better. This will then mean I am using all my muscles, so that I am not over reliant on just the one side of my body.

In the short term it is causing me more me pain as I get used to my back having to work muscles it doesn’t normally, due to my scoliosis.

In the long term it will be better because the muscles are being used more and more. Helping me to stand up straighter, build strength in my shoulders and hips. I know it will be beneficial, it just really hurts.

The exercises along with the sport massages will help me to feel more comfortable, more relaxed and less tense. Reducing my pain and also improving my mental health.

Do you have Scoliosis or suspect someone may have it? Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Go to your doctors and ask that they check to see if the person has it. The person will be asked to stand up as straight as they can, then asked to lean forwards. This will allow the Doctor to see if the spine has a curve or if the shoulders are not straight.

If you want to seek any advice then check out Scoliosis Association UK.

I am on Twitter @pbarraclough