Pilates for Scoliosis in Greenville, SC | What to Know Before You Start
Pilates for Scoliosis: How Individualized Pilates Can Support Strength and Mobility
By Currie Gossett, owner of C.O.R.E. grow strong, comprehensively certified in Classical Pilates through PEAK Pilates and trained in Contemporary Pilates through Balanced Body
If you have scoliosis, you have probably heard a lot of advice about exercise. Some of it helps. A lot of it is confusing. Which moves are okay? Which ones should you skip? How do you get stronger without making your back angry?
Is Pilates good for scoliosis?
For many people with scoliosis, yes. Pilates can be a great fit alongside the care you get from your doctor or physical therapist. It builds strength around the spine, teaches you where your body is in space, and lets you move in a way that fits YOUR body. It does not replace scoliosis treatment, and the right starting point is different for every person.
That is the question we hear most at the front desk, and we have several clients with scoliosis in the studio right now. At C.O.R.E. grow strong, a Classical and Contemporary Pilates studio in Greenville, South Carolina, we like to meet you where you are. Your body is your own, and your Pilates should be too.
Whether you have lived with scoliosis since you were a kid or you were just diagnosed, learning to move with confidence is worth the time.
What is scoliosis?
Scoliosis is a sideways curve of the spine. Often the spine also twists, or rotates. Many people are diagnosed as kids or teenagers. Adults can have scoliosis too, including curves that show up or change later in life.
Everyone's scoliosis is different. Some people barely notice it. Others feel stiff, sore, or uneven, or find some movements harder on one side.
So there is no one scoliosis workout. We start with you: how you move, how you feel, and what your doctor or PT has told you.
How can Pilates help someone with scoliosis?
Here are five ways a Pilates practice built around you may support someone living with scoliosis.
1. A stronger core around your spine
Your core is a lot more than your abs. We call it the powerhouse: the muscles between your inner thighs, your glutes, and your abdominals, all wrapping around your trunk and holding your pelvis steady.
Those muscles help you every time you walk, lift a grocery bag, reach into the back seat, or step off a curb. Pilates trains them slowly and with control, so daily life can feel steadier.
2. Knowing where your body is in space
Scoliosis can change how you carry your weight, how you twist, and which muscles jump in first. Over the years, your body finds its own workarounds. Most of us never notice ours.
Pilates asks you to pay attention. Where are your ribs? Where is your weight in your feet? How are you breathing? That awareness is a big part of the work.
We work with the body you have. Nobody here is chasing a perfectly symmetrical spine.
3. Moving with less stiffness
Many people with scoliosis feel tight in some places, though everyone is different.
Pilates moves the spine one piece at a time, stretches, and works through different ranges of motion. The right exercises can help you keep the mobility you have and move more comfortably.
More stretching is not always better. We choose exercises for your body, because two people with scoliosis can need very different things.
4. Strength and coordination from head to toe
Scoliosis can change how your muscles share the work. Some areas work overtime. Others do less.
Pilates uses spring resistance, small controlled reps, and precise form to build strength through the whole body. A trained instructor can change your position, the springs, your range, or the exercise itself.
Both sides of your body do not have to match. The goal is the right strength and control for you.
5. Confidence to move again
This one gets overlooked. When moving feels uncomfortable, it is easy to stop moving at all.
Pilates gives you a safe place to try things, learn what feels right, and build up a little at a time. We will start gentle. That confidence goes home with you - on a walk, on a trip, or picking up your kids.
Why private Pilates lessons are the best place to start
Every curve is different, and not every Pilates exercise is right for every person. Depending on your curve, your symptoms, how you move, and your medical history, some exercises may need changes. Some, we would just avoid.
That is why we steer new clients, and especially anyone with scoliosis, toward private lessons first. It is how we get to know each of our scoliosis clients before they ever join a group class. In a private, your instructor can:
- Talk through your movement history and your goals
- Watch how you move
- Adjust each exercise for your body
- Choose the equipment that fits you
Our private lessons use the full classical apparatus, including the Reformer and the Cadillac, among others. Each piece gives us a different way to work on strength, stability, and mobility.
New to Pilates? Our New Client Special, 3 private lessons, is where we would point you first. It is three one-on-one sessions to use within 30 days, so you learn the method, your body's needs, and the equipment before you ever step into a group class. You can see it HERE.
We are not physicians, we are not physical therapists. We are practitioners that are trained in our art. But we are here for you.
Pilates and the Schroth Method: what's the difference?
If you have been researching scoliosis exercise, you may have heard of the Schroth method.
Schroth is a scoliosis-specific exercise approach. It uses positioning, breathing, and targeted muscle work planned around your particular curve. It is usually taught by specially trained physical therapists or clinicians.
Pilates is a broader system of movement for strength, control, coordination, breath, and mobility.
They are different, and they can work well side by side as part of your care. General Pilates instruction is not a substitute for scoliosis-specific treatment. If your physician or physical therapist recommends Schroth, bracing, or any other treatment, please keep following that plan.
C.O.R.E. is trusted by local physical therapists, and we are glad to work alongside your care team.
Can you take group Pilates classes with scoliosis?
Many people with scoliosis take group classes. The right starting point depends on your body and your experience.
If you are new to Pilates, having pain, recovering from spinal surgery, or unsure which moves are okay for you, start with a private lesson. If you have had surgery, check with your surgeon or PT before you start. Your instructor can teach you your modifications and help you decide when a group class is a good next step.
When you are ready, our group classes stay small. Reformer and Mat-Tower classes hold up to 12 people, and Chair classes hold up to 6, so your instructor can still give you form corrections and modifications. We also offer duets and triples if you would like to train with a friend.
A pelvic floor physical therapist who takes our classes put it this way: "I always leave feeling like I've worked my entire body without feeling beaten up afterward." -Brooke R
Pilates is meant for life
A lot of us picture good posture as standing perfectly straight. Bodies are not identical, though. If you have scoliosis, a perfectly straight spine does not need to be the thing you measure yourself by.
Moving well, getting stronger, and feeling steady in your own body is the work. Pilates connects your mind and body through movement you do on purpose, and it works with your body.
It is truly an exercise that anyone can do, from the 12 year old ballerina all the way to the osteoporotic woman. That includes you, at every stage of life.
Pilates for scoliosis in Greenville, SC
If you or someone you love has scoliosis and you are wondering whether Pilates fits, we would love to help you figure it out.
C.O.R.E. grow strong is Greenville's only fully equipped Classical & Contemporary Pilates studio. We have a highly trained team of comprehensively certified instructors. We have been a Pilates studio since 2021, and we teach over 50 classes a week, plus private, duet, and triple lessons, all in person.
You will find us at Overbrook Village, 1501 East North St., Suite 100, Greenville, SC 29607. Most of our clients come from right around us in Overbrook, North Main, and downtown Greenville.
New or experienced, we can help you find the right place to start. Book your New Client Special, 3 private lessons, HERE or call us at (864) 923-5974. Bring along anything your doctor or PT has told you. Please let us know if you have any questions. We're ready for you.
C.O.R.E. stands for Confidence. Optimism. Resilience. Energy.
Grow strong.
Frequently asked questions
Is Pilates good for scoliosis?
For many people, yes. Pilates builds core strength, body awareness, and mobility with controlled movement, and an instructor can adjust every exercise for your curve. It works best alongside the care you get from your doctor or physical therapist, and it is not a treatment for scoliosis.
Can Pilates straighten or fix scoliosis?
No. Pilates is not a scoliosis treatment, and we never promise to change a curve. What it can do is help you build strength, control, and awareness around the spine you have. For treatment, follow your physician's or physical therapist's plan.
Is Pilates the same as the Schroth method?
No. Schroth is a scoliosis-specific exercise method, usually taught by specially trained physical therapists, and planned around your particular curve. Pilates is a broader movement system for strength, control, breath, and mobility. The two can work side by side as part of your care.
Should I start with private or group Pilates if I have scoliosis?
Start with private lessons if you are new to Pilates, having pain, recovering from spinal surgery, or unsure what is right for you. A private lets your instructor learn how you move and adjust each exercise. Many people move into small group classes after that.
Which Pilates exercises should I avoid with scoliosis?
There is no single list. It depends on your curve, your symptoms, and your history. Your instructor will change or skip exercises that are not right for you, and follow any limits your doctor or physical therapist has given you.
Do I need my doctor's okay to start Pilates with scoliosis?
If you are recovering from spinal surgery, wearing a brace, or in active treatment, check with your doctor or physical therapist first. Either way, tell your instructor about your scoliosis at your first session so we can plan around it.
Where can I find Pilates for scoliosis in Greenville, SC?
C.O.R.E. grow strong is a Classical and Contemporary Pilates studio at Overbrook Village, 1501 East North St., Suite 100, in Greenville, SC, close to Overbrook, North Main, and downtown Greenville. New clients usually start with private lessons on the full classical apparatus, including the Reformer and Cadillac. Call (864) 923-5974 with questions.
This post is general information, not medical advice. Please talk with your physician or physical therapist before starting a new exercise program.