Dear Trish:

I don't think diet can do much for scoliosis.  However, Rolfing body
work
can and frequently does.  I have information on this because I
interviewed
Certified Rolfing practitioners and people who have been rolfed and I
did a
couple of articles on the topic.

I suggest you contact the Rolf Institute @ <[log in to unmask]> and ask
about
their case histories of people with scoliosis and a list of Certified
Rolfers in your area.   See also <www.rolf.org>

There is a rolfing practitioner, named Michael Reams, in Seattle,
Washingto=
n
who suffered from severe club foot and scoliosis as a child.  Doctors
thought he'd need a brace, cast or surgery when he was 15 years old,
which
he did not employ.  Instead he lifted weights and did other
activities.
Nevertheless, he endured continuous low back pain. Not only that, his
lifts
were limited due to compensations from his club foot.  He was unable
to
squat, with or without weights.
   =20
What did he do to overcome all of that?  Reams signed up for a series
of
Rolfing sessions (normally 10 sessions, but in his case, he went
through 20
sessions).  After that, Reams went home knowing that something was
different.  =B3It took me three days to figure out my back no longer
hurt,=B2
says Reams, who went on to achieve some reasonable lifts for a guy in
his
mid-thirties.  He squatted 600+ pounds, benched 440 and deadlifted
620.  In
the Washington Open 220-pound division, he placed 1st.  In the Pamona
California Open, 220-pound class, he took 3rd.  In the Western
Canadian
Open, 100 Kg--1st place again and Best Lifter.  Reams competed in
powerlifting for four years.
   =20
To this day he continues to lift weights and engage in other outdoor
activities including downhill skiing, rock/mountain climbing, and
bicycling=
.
So far he=B9s lived for about 15 years with no back pain.  Just this
past yea=
r
he started snow boarding and competed in his first rollerblade
marathon.
   =20
Reams attributes his relief from chronic pain, freedom of movement,
improve=
d
breathing, and joy of living to Rolfing Structural Integration, which
he ha=
s
since dedicated his life (or at least his career) to.  =B3I have
helped a
number of lifters over the years, helping many with injury recovery,
movement restrictions, and overall improvements in their lifting,=B2
says
Reams who has a busy Rolfing practice in Seattle, Washington.

I have read of other people with series structural problems who
avoided ful=
l
body casts and other paraphenalia and employed Rolfing to realign the
spine
and balance the segments of the body so that they worked smoothly,
helped
the person maintain an upright stance, and move freely as nature
intended.

Sorry if this is a bit off-topic (from the usual diet threads), but I
hope
it helps answer your question and direct you to some non-dietary
sources of
support. =20

Rachel Matesz