My scoliosis story: Nisreen

This is What Scolio-Pilates® Has Done For Me

I received my scoliosis diagnosis when I was ten years old. My gym teacher noticed my uneven shoulders one day at recess and told me to have my mom take me to a doctor to check my back.  Over the next four years, I went to countless doctor and chiropractic appointments. I wore a plaster cast, then a brace. And finally, I underwent spinal fusion. I have always believed that surgery was the best decision for me. I endured a lot as a child, and the surgery stopped it. When I became an adult, I always experienced some pain, some days worse than others, but the pain was always there, and I learned to live with it.

At 40, I could no longer manage my pain. I was in so much agony that I would wake up screaming in the middle of the night, and pain medication couldn’t alleviate it. I consulted many doctors who could not understand why I was suddenly in pain. Their only solution was to refer me to another doctor. Then, my osteopath suggested I look up Scolio-Pilates. She had heard of it but knew nothing else. She admitted, “I can’t find a way to help you, and it can’t hurt to try.”

Her recommendation led me to Scolio-Pilates and Karena. She entered my life at a moment when I was so low I could not even imagine a future. I walked into her studio, not knowing what to expect, and walked out with a new love of life.
She taught me exercises that I took with me and practiced daily. I managed to alleviate my pain and build a strength I never had. Scolio-Pilates gave me the tools to live my life fully.

Scolio-Pilates changed my life in different ways.

Before I met Karena, a doctor told me I was 5’6”. I had been 5’7” since surgery. One day, while measuring my kids, I measured myself; I was 5’7” and a half!!! Thanks to my practice, I have grown an inch and a half taller! That is Scolio-Pilates for me!

One day, while playing with my children in the pool and creating waves by moving our arms back and forth for a while, I thought nothing of it. That night, my right arm seized, and I could not move it anymore. I was familiar with that pain, the one where I couldn’t lift my right arm and would reach for the extra-strong pain medication. But this time, I knew what I had to do; I didn’t panic; I grabbed my wedges, lay on my back, got into my alignment, and took one breath; as I inhaled, I felt a nerve shift, and the pain disappeared. Completely. With only one breath. I could move my arm, and nothing was pinched or hurting. I couldn’t believe it. Before Scolio-Pilates, this type of pain would have confined me to bed for a few days and resulted in two weeks of pain. Instead, it was just a moment. That is Scolio-Pilates for me!

New Path

Being helped by Karena sparked my desire to assist others. I contacted Karena and asked her how I could become a Scolio-Pilates instructor because I wanted to assist people like she did.

Scoliosis has taught me a lot, and Scolio-Pilates has helped me cope. In September 2022, I became an authorized Scolio-Pilates instructor. That is Scolio-Pilates for me! Ultimately, my scoliosis shaped me into who I am today, and Scolio-Pilates allows me to be the person I always wanted to be!

What is Scolio-Pilates for you?

Looking for help for your own scoliosis curve?

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Are you a professional looking to serve those with scoliosis? Learn the steps towards becoming an Authorized Scolio-Pilates Practitioner.

My scoliosis story: Nisreen