This is how people with scoliosis should sleep!

This is how people with scoliosis should sleep!

Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) is mainly divided into two types: C-curve and S-curve . C-type scoliosis usually presents as a single curve, which may occur in the thoracic or lumbar spine, and is shaped like the letter "C". S-type scoliosis is more complex, with at least two curves, usually one in the thoracic spine and one in the lumbar spine, forming an "S"-shaped curve. There are some differences in the adjustment of sleeping posture between these two types of scoliosis.

Correct sleeping position

01Supine position

Sleeping on your back is a common sleeping position. The pressure of the whole body is evenly distributed, and the spine can relax symmetrically to the greatest extent. If you have scoliosis, you should try to sleep on your back. When you lie on your back, the lower edge of the pillow should be against your shoulders, and the back of your head should be placed in the middle of the pillow. This will relax the muscles of the back and cervical spine. You can put a pillow under your knees, which can maintain a relatively good spinal curve, relax the intervertebral disc, and relieve the tension of the entire lumbar spine.

02 Side-lying position

The side-lying position is the second most recommended sleeping position. For patients with scoliosis, side-lying can help reduce uneven force on the spine, but special attention should be paid to which side to choose and the height in between. For patients with thoracic curvature, the convex side of the thoracic spine should not be at the bottom when sleeping on the side, which will cause the already convex thoracic spine to progress more easily in the direction of scoliosis. For patients with lumbar curvature, the convex side of the lumbar spine should not be at the bottom when sleeping on the side, as the pelvis will easily follow the original crooked direction, putting the lumbar spine in a bad position.

C-curve patients: When lying on your side, choose to sleep with the concave side of the curve facing down . When lying on your side, the height of the middle part needs to be moderate to ensure that the head and spine are on the same level. A gap can be reserved between the knees to prevent the pelvis from tilting, thereby helping to maintain the natural position of the spine.

S-curve patients: Since the S-curve has bilateral curvature, patients should choose to sleep in alternating directions when lying on their side to ensure that the weight of the spine is not biased to one side. When lying on your side, placing a pillow between the knees can prevent excessive rotation of the spine . At the same time, choose a suitable mattress and furniture to ensure that the spine is evenly supported.

Wrong sleeping position!!!

The prone position has adverse effects on both normal people and scoliosis patients. First, the head needs to be rotated to facilitate breathing when lying prone. At this time, the cervical spine is in a twisted state for a long time, which is prone to stiff neck. Secondly, for patients with thoracic scoliosis, most of them have the problem of excessive forward concavity of the thoracic spine , and the prone position is more likely to cause thoracic concavity, so the prone sleeping position should be avoided as much as possible.

For patients with lumbar scoliosis, lumbar scoliosis is usually accompanied by a height difference in the pelvis . When sleeping on one side, the hip and knee joints on one side will be bent. If the lumbar scoliosis is convex to the left, and the right leg is bent when sleeping on the stomach, the right pelvis will become higher, which will put the lumbar spine in a bad position, and vice versa. Therefore, the prone sleeping position is not recommended for patients with scoliosis.

It must be explained! ! Sleeping position cannot change the curvature of our scoliosis, but the neutral position of the spine can relieve the pain in the waist and back, balance the force of the spine, and better lay a solid foundation for scoliosis correction gymnastics! Scoliosis screening promotion activities based on the popular science project of Songjiang District.

Choice of bedding

When choosing a pillow, it is not just for your head. When you lie flat, the cervical spine is lordotic in its physiological curvature. The muscles, ligaments, and fascia around the cervical spine are actually in a tense state. Over time, the cervical spine may become stiff or reversed, and even the entire spine may have more serious problems. Therefore, we must choose the right pillow according to each person's situation.

When choosing a mattress, you must ensure that no matter what sleeping position you are in, the spine can maintain its physiological curvature and stretch, and that the pressure on all parts of the body is equal, so that the human body can be fully relaxed when resting.

If you have any problems with scoliosis, please feel free to consult us. Let us move towards a healthy path together!!!