Scoliosis and soccer

If you suffer from scoliosis, soccer may be a good sport for you to play. But, the severity of your scoliosis does matter. If you have mild scoliosis then soccer is not discouraged. On the contrary, it is actually encouraged, However, for moderate to severe cases of scoliosis you should consult with your doctor prior to taking up the sport. Playing soccer and scoliosis has not been proven to reduce or exacerbate the curvature of the spine. If you have a mild case of scoliosis, soccer is generally recommended because it is a good aerobic sport that strengthens core muscles. For scoliosis patients, core muscle strength is important as it works to stabilize your spine. Strong core muscles can help mitigate curve progression as well as degenerative conditions of the spine.

What would be the best position to play? I would say all are fine except for the goalie, since there can be some trauma incurred in this position. When one has scoliosis it is generally observed that their thoracic spine becomes flatter (hypokyphotic). This can be a problem because the more one of the dimensions of the spine goes out of its natural position the more the other dimensions move out of their natural position to compensate.

In a study done: Adolescent soccer is correlated with an increase of kyphosis but a reduction of low back pain: a controlled cross-sectional surveyS Negrini*, F Zaina, S Atanasio, C Fusco and M Taiana It was found that when someone plays soccer it can increase a persons thoracic kyphosis this would be a good thing for scoliotic spines with a hypokyphosis which usually is the case. In rare circumstances, when a person has a thoracic scoliosis they have a hyperkyphosis then soccer might not be the best sport to play. To be safe, consult with your doctor before starting any sport. Remember, soccer and scoliosis, may be a good combination for some.