Irena's story. How to correct postural disorders, including visual signs of scoliosis after age 18

My Story

I lived with scoliosis for almost 30 years, 24 of which were with moderate-level scoliosis. At 36, I finally managed to reduce it from moderate to light-mild scoliosis, and I've been successfully maintaining it for three years now. I'm now 39.

This is my story.

How it all began and how it continued

At age 7, I was diagnosed with mild right-sided thoracic scoliosis, and at 12, I was diagnosed with moderate thoracolumbar scoliosis. This was despite the fact that I did physical therapy, slept on a hard bed, hung and did pull-ups on a horizontal bar, and passed my school physical education tests perfectly.

The S-shaped scoliosis was accompanied by costal and muscular humps, protruding shoulder blades (the right one was twice as large as the left), hyperlordosis, deformity of the sternum and ribs, and torso asymmetry. Spoiler: almost everything has been corrected (but now in my childhood).

I developed idiopathic scoliosis from years of improperly and strenuously performing everyday, academic, and professional activities, sitting crookedly and with rotation, and lifting heavy objects with only one arm and one shoulder. My spine was curved in two arcs (in the thoracic and lumbar regions) and rotated.

Later, as an adult, I only worsened my problems (scoliosis and hyperlordosis) by dancing intense salsa and bachata for many years: with show elements, multiple turns, rotations from right to left, and a constantly stretched dominant right arm. Of course, this did nothing to correct the rotation and curvature of my spine.

Dancing was my hobby, and I devoted the rest of my time to studying, courses, and working in an office, and then freelancing. During this entire time, I sat for days in totally wrong poses and positions: reclining, half-turned, with my legs tucked under me, or crossed, sometimes twice (!). I invariably wore stilettos or high heels to school, work, dancing, and anywhere else, and this also exacerbated my posture problems.

However, since I'd been told my whole life that "scoliosis of this severity can't be corrected after 18," I didn't particularly worry or analyse how much I was continuing to injure myself. After all, to quote some experts: "the vertebrae finally ossify, and the curvature is forever," and since positive progress is impossible, it follows that negative progress is also impossible...

Fortunately, I was wrong. But more on that later.

Like many of you reading this, over the years of living with poor posture, I've experienced many public insults, humiliations, and finger-pointing from doctors, teachers, classmates, fitness trainers, coworkers, and even random passersby.

My "BEFORE" photos, moderate scoliosis + associated disorders and deformities, in chronological order

Diagnosed at age 12 with moderate S-shaped thoracolumbar idiopathic scoliosis. The thoracic curve is to the right, and the lumbar curve is to the left. The initial curve is right-sided in the thoracic spine and has a compensating secondary curve in the lumbar spine. There is a pronounced costal hump, winged scapulae, hyperkyphosis, hyperlordosis, deformity of the sternum, visible discrepancies in the size of the scapulae, sides of the back, and lower ribs, and a tilted shoulder and pelvis.

The photos below show my posture at different times (at various ages) before I began corrective measures.

Initial results, in chronology

Throughout my life, I've had periods of active fitness and lifestyle changes (improving my posture, sleep, work, and sitting habits) that have improved my situation. One day, through these chaotic, unsystematic efforts, I managed to reduce my thoracic scoliosis to a borderline 'mild/moderate', and my lumbar scoliosis to a light-mild level.

Essentially, my S-shaped scoliosis became a C-shaped scoliosis, with a single curve. I didn't notice this right away, as the deformities associated with scoliosis (costal hump, scapular winging, hyperkyphosis, and sternal deformity) remained.

The beginning of serious work on posture correction, reducing the scoliosis degree, in chronology

These positive changes led me to believe that, contrary to the common belief that moderate/severe scoliosis can't be corrected in adulthood (as practised by many doctors and massage therapists and as I'd heard my entire life), there must be a comprehensive approach to correcting my posture. If not correcting it, at least reduce the severity and visible deformities, "reattaching" the shoulder blades, and reducing the costal hump... So I asked my husband Rost (a physician and fitness trainer) to help me develop a training program tailored to my posture.

I started exercising, irregularly and briefly, but correctly and systematically. The initial results impressed me: not only did I begin to reduce my scoliotic curves, but I also noticed a reduction in sternal deformity and the costal hump. However, even with the scoliosis now reduced to the thoracic spine and my shoulder blades relatively equal in size, the costal hump when tilted remained large, and my scapular winging, hyperkyphosis, and hyperlordosis persisted. These were compounded by excess weight, worsening cervical osteochondrosis, swelling, and a "dowager's hump."

This is a success! Scoliosis grade has been reduced to mild, and associated postural disorders, kyphosis, scapular winging, and hyperdorosis have been eliminated. Chronologically

Immigration, stress, and family issues took me out of the process of working on my posture for a whole year. When I returned to home fitness, I had a different goal: weight loss, as I wasn't happy with my reflection in the mirror.

I was losing weight slowly and poorly, so in my quest to lose weight, I exercised extensively, doing stretching and strengthening exercises at home tailored to my posture. I also adopted a lifestyle change, paying attention to how I sat, walked, worked, and slept.

I achieved my goal—I lost weight, and (OMG) as a bonus, I corrected my scoliosis to a mild level, reduced hyperlordosis, and improved my facial contours.

Along with the correction of the scoliosis, most of the associated visible bone deformities also disappeared: my shoulder blades almost "stuck" together, some of the sternum deformities (the right-sided bony hump) disappeared, the right-sided costal hump (gibbus) when bending over became minimal, and hyperlordosis disappeared. All of these associated problems persisted even with mild-level scoliosis, because decades of living with scoliosis had created persistent deformities that didn't "go away" even with smaller scoliotic curves. However, continued active training and the use of the system's special methods eventually reduced these to a minimal degree.

Admittedly, at that time, I didn't fully believe that it would be possible to correct scoliosis of that severity—at most, improve my posture. Of course, I noticed then that the situation had visually improved significantly. Still, the results were confirmed by a chest X-ray, taken by chance and for a different reason—bronchitis. The report stated "mild scoliosis." When I saw this report, I kept rereading the same phrase. I couldn't believe it didn't say "mild." Because I always saw the phrase "moderate" in X-ray reports and "severe" in mirrors and photos, and before/all my life (when they gave me the report), the doctors invariably asked, "Do you know what problems you have with your back?"

Of course, I really wanted to correct the scoliosis, and I worked on it, hoping to eliminate at least some of the problems. Still, I didn't fully believe it was possible to correct moderate scoliosis, because everyone had told me my whole life it wasn't.

This explains the lack of recent X-rays showing my moderate scoliosis. I corrected my posture, so to speak, by accident. Now, three years later, having maintained my own results and seen results among subscribers and club participants, I understand that the system is effective and works not only for me but also for others. But back then, I didn't know I'd correct my scoliosis; I didn't know I'd be able to achieve such a result, and I didn't even think about gathering information on the topic in advance, taking X-rays, and right-before photos (with a good light, same angle, same pose or Adam's test).

Then it took the form of a SYSTEM: a clear schedule of specific workouts (lots, often, and intensely), regular relaxing massages, a new lifestyle, and new habits. Rost and I also developed several methods for correcting spinal rotation, improving exercise symmetry, loading the "weak" side, stretching and strengthening the muscular core, and correcting scoliotic curves in accordance with the anatomical logic of C- and S-shaped scoliosis. Other equally important methods of the system included correction of pathological kyphosis and lordosis, scapular winging, total body asymmetry, and pelvic tilt.

The results were impressive.

What now?

So, I lived with moderate-level scoliosis until I was 36. It took me a total of 1.5 years of hard work in addition to previous tries to fully realign my spine and correct the majority of associated deformities and other postural issues. Now I'm 39, and for the past 3 years I've maintained the results with our © IRENA ROST Posture Improvement System.

Currently, the only reminders of my moderate scoliosis are minor residual deformities that don't interfere with my life and are barely noticeable. These corrections will take much longer, but the process is ongoing, and I intend to eliminate as many residual deformities as I can.

Once more: before & after

Other people's results

You can see the results of our system (club and courses) participants (updated over time) here: https://irenarost.fit/results

Join us!

We invite you to become part of a community of people with a healthy back, join our "Healthy Posture Club," and receive effective, efficient tools developed by a physician, tested, and regularly used by someone who has actually corrected complex posture problems and knows how to "keep things going."

Wish you beautiful and healthy posture!
Irena and Rost