Scoliosis
Learning to Move With My Body (Not Against It)
I began practicing yoga in 2014 to address persistent muscle pain and stiffness—patterns I’d been living with for years. I was diagnosed with scoliosis in middle school, but the military doctors I saw dismissed it as “not serious” and didn’t offer much in the way of treatment or guidance. Like many other moments in my upbringing, it became another quiet experience of neglect—pain acknowledged, but not met with care.
Over time, yoga helped. But the truth is: my relationship with physical tension is something I’ll manage for life. Especially during seasons of high stress, my body tends to hold tight. It’s a pattern I’ve learned to work with, not against.
In 2020, I started working with a Functional Range Conditioning (FRC) coach to refine how I moved. FRC helped me target specific joints and build a deeper awareness of how I engage with movement. We brought together mobility training, breathwork, and nervous system awareness in ways that felt deeply therapeutic—not just physical.
Here are a few FRC-inspired practices that stood out:
Controlled Articular Rotations (CARs)
Moving a joint slowly and intentionally through its full range of motion. Think slow shoulder circles, done with focus and control. It’s not about how far you can go—it’s about how well you can feel the movement.
Pelvic floor engagement
Learning to gently engage and release the pelvic floor while breathing deeply helped me tune into my core in a more grounded, sustainable way.
Neck isometrics
We worked through slow, resisted movements in all directions—flexion, extension, and rotation—to help reconnect me with a part of my body I’d often ignored.
Thoracic spine mobility
We focused on spiral and segmented movements to increase awareness and control in my upper back, where I tend to collapse or overcompensate.
Breath as a guide
Breathwork was foundational. We practiced diaphragmatic breathing—filling the belly and pelvic floor—not as a performance, but as a nervous system tool.
Hamstring and pelvic integration
By pairing hamstring engagement with conscious pelvic positioning, I started to experience strength with mobility, instead of just chasing flexibility.
End-range holds and segmental control
From deep squats to spine waves (like segmental cat-cow), every movement was about presence—isolating motion and exploring limits without force.
Hip work and small joint articulations
Rotating the hips in 90/90 positions, isolating toe and finger movements—these practices woke up areas I’d never paid attention to.
Every one of these drills brought me into closer relationship with my body. Not as a problem to fix, but as a system to understand, care for, and engage with—daily.
If you live with chronic tension, joint pain, or stiffness, FRC might offer a new way forward. It’s not a quick fix. But it is a practical, body-literate system rooted in improving how you move and how you feel while moving.
Some of the benefits I feel:
Improved mobility and joint control
Increased proprioception and body awareness
Stronger, more stable joints
Better posture and alignment
Injury prevention through smarter movement patterns
A deeper mind-body connection through breath and conscious control
These principles have stayed with me. I still return to them—between yoga sessions, in the middle of a workday, or when I feel myself bracing against the world again. They’ve become part of how I care for myself.
If this speaks to what you’re navigating in your body, I encourage you to explore FRC. Look for a coach or practitioner who centers nervous system awareness, not just performance. It’s worth the investment.
Your body has a lot to say when you learn to listen with curiosity—not judgment.
