January is officially upon us and as the new year begins, it’s important to create a few new year’s resolutions and set personal goals as a way to better yourself. For those living with scoliosis, it may be difficult to set self-improvement goals with such an ailment.
Scoliosis affects both adults and children. Depending on the severity of the spine curvature, those with scoliosis may adhere to different treatment plans. Treatment options vary from simply monitoring the progress to possible surgical intervention. No matter what type of scoliosis you may have, following treatment is the top priority and creating resolutions for the new year can be very beneficial to stick to your treatment plan.
Dr. David Siambanes of Scoliosis Care has provided general new year’s resolution ideas to those intent on setting goals for a healthier and more comfortable lifestyle.
Stay on top of doctor’s appointments. For those with scoliosis, it is important to stay up-to-date on doctor’s appointments and periodic checkups. Also, monitoring the spine and making sure the curvature hasn’t worsened is of significant importance for treatment. Make sure to create a calendar to stay organized, as well as set up alerts on any electronic device capable of keeping appointments.
Wear your brace. For patients that are advised to wear a brace to help correct spine curvature, it is highly recommended you keep it on for the allotted time recommended by your primary care physician. Make sure the brace is snugged and sits comfortably around your body. If your brace begins to cause you discomfort, talk with your doctor about possible solutions or adjustments that can be made to your brace.
Take medication. In some cases, anti-inflammatory medication is recommended to help with the effects of scoliosis. Staying on schedule with your medication will help with the pain and aid your treatment, so consider setting a reminder to take your medication when needed.
Continue physical therapy. Attending physical therapy is strongly suggested in some cases. Most physical therapists will provide a treatment plan for the patient to do at home. Setting a goal to do the exercises a certain number of times a week or implementing new exercises is a good goal to stick with throughout the year.
While these are just a few general resolutions for those with scoliosis, feel free to create your own goals to improve your health and wellbeing in 2022. If you are feeling any severe pain or discomfort, reach out to your primary care physician to find goals and milestones that are right for you. For more information on scoliosis in general, contact Scoliosis Care today.
