I was diagnosed with spinal scoliosis (curvature of the spine), at the young age of 5 years old. It was not super terrible, but it was monitored throughout my whole childhood. At one point, my parents decided to "brace me," for precautionary reasons; because every time I hit a growth spurt (in my pre-teen years) my spine would get worse.
<----- This is actually pretty accurate to what my x-rays looked like!As a child (especially while in the bracing stages), I HATED the fact I had this "defect," that made me different. I was determined to find the cure, so I could be like everyone else. I embraced my difference, and was determined to fix myself.
At the age of 16 (I believe), I was learning about the skeletal and muscular system, in more depth than I had in the past, when I began thinking to myself, "Well, if my spine is made of bones, and it's not straight, and muscles are what supports the bones, then my right side of muscles (parallel to my spine) vs. the left side of my muscles (parallel to my spine), must not be evenly distributing the same tension, which is why my spine isn't straight." The obvious solution...to strengthen the weak side!
For the past few years, I have been actively training in the gym. Participating in activities such as running, ballet, and aerobic exercises, to strengthen my core, as well as doing things like back extensions, and side extensions, to tighten the muscles keeping my back and spine in place.
About a year ago I had my sister measure my height, she said I was 5'2. Before I was 5'1 and 3/4. Just a few weeks ago....5' 2 1/2!!! Although I haven't gotten any recent x-rays, the flaws I always saw in the mirror (reminding me my back was not perfectly straight), have slowly started to diminish!!
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