In this episode, Dr. Sarah Court unpacks scoliosis from the ground up, what it is, how it is diagnosed, the different types, and what we actually know about why it happens. She explains the Cobb angle, idiopathic versus congenital, neuromuscular, and degenerative scoliosis, and why muscle imbalances, heavy backpacks, or “bad posture” are not the root cause. Drawing on her own experience living with scoliosis and her time observing medical care in a pediatric hospital setting, she walks through current medical interventions, including observation, bracing, and spinal fusion, along with the real-world tradeoffs that come with each.

The episode then turns to exercise. Do you need scoliosis-specific methods like Schroth or SEAS, and do they meaningfully change outcomes? Sarah reviews the current evidence, which suggests small to modest short-term changes at best, with limited high-quality data, especially in adults. She makes the case that most adults with scoliosis do not need to chase curve correction or cosmetic symmetry. Instead, the focus should be on building strength, addressing meaningful side-to-side capacity differences, supporting breathing where needed, and improving function and confidence. Heavy lifting, including deadlifts and squats, is not inherently dangerous for people with scoliosis, and getting stronger is often the most practical, evidence-informed path forward.

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RESOURCES:

The Schroth Method

The SEAS Method

VIDEO: Schroth in action

123: Don't Get it Twisted: Scoliosis Facts vs Fiction