Scoliosis Chiropractic Care in Walnut Creek, California
Living With Scoliosis? The Curve Is Only Part of the Story.
Maybe you were diagnosed with scoliosis years ago and haven't thought much about it since.
Perhaps you've recently noticed that one shoulder or hip looks different from the other.
Or maybe you already know you have scoliosis, but now you're experiencing back pain, stiffness, muscle tension, or discomfort after sitting or standing for long periods.
For parents, a scoliosis diagnosis can bring a completely different set of questions:
How significant is the curve?
Could it progress?
What activities are safe?
Does my child need to see a specialist?
And where, if anywhere, does chiropractic care fit?
At Stojanovich Chiropractic in Walnut Creek, California, Dr. Nick Stojanovich, D.C. provides individualized chiropractic and musculoskeletal care for appropriate patients with scoliosis.
The goal isn't to promise to “straighten” a scoliosis curve.
It's to understand you—the type of scoliosis you have, your symptoms, your movement, your health history, and what kind of care is appropriate.
What Is Scoliosis?
Scoliosis is an abnormal sideways curvature of the spine that also involves rotation of the vertebrae.
Rather than appearing straight when viewed from behind, a spine with scoliosis curves to one side.
The size, location, shape, and significance of the curve can vary considerably from one person to another.
Some people have relatively mild scoliosis and experience few or no symptoms.
Others may have more noticeable spinal changes or experience musculoskeletal complaints.
That's an important distinction:
Having scoliosis doesn't automatically mean you'll have back pain—and having back pain doesn't necessarily mean scoliosis is causing it.
An evaluation needs to consider the whole person rather than assuming every symptom comes from the curve.
What Does Scoliosis Look or Feel Like?
Scoliosis doesn't feel the same for everyone.
In fact, some people first learn they have scoliosis because someone notices a physical difference rather than because they're experiencing pain.
Possible signs may include:
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One shoulder appearing higher than the other
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Uneven shoulder blades
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One hip appearing higher or more prominent
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An uneven waist
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The body appearing to shift toward one side
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Rib prominence on one side
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Differences that become more noticeable when bending forward
Adults with scoliosis may also experience back discomfort, stiffness, muscle fatigue, or limitations with certain activities.
But these symptoms can have many causes.
The presence of scoliosis doesn't automatically tell us what's producing someone's pain.
Does Scoliosis Cause Back Pain?
It can be associated with back pain in some people, particularly adults, but scoliosis doesn't always cause pain.
Someone with scoliosis can also develop the same musculoskeletal problems as someone without scoliosis.
That means a patient with scoliosis who develops lower-back pain shouldn't automatically assume:
“My scoliosis is getting worse.”
The pain could potentially involve muscles, joints, discs, nerves, activity changes, an injury, age-related changes, or other factors.
Dr. Nick Stojanovich, D.C. evaluates the current complaint rather than attributing every symptom to an existing scoliosis diagnosis.
Scoliosis in Children and Teenagers
Scoliosis discovered during childhood or adolescence deserves particular attention because the spine may still be growing.
The significance of a scoliosis curve depends on factors that can include the person's age, skeletal maturity, curve size and pattern, and whether the curve changes over time.
For a growing child or teenager, appropriate medical monitoring may be important.
Depending on the situation, that can involve a pediatrician, orthopedic specialist, or another healthcare professional experienced in scoliosis management.
Chiropractic care should not replace appropriate medical monitoring of a growing child's scoliosis.
If a young person comes to Stojanovich Chiropractic with known or suspected scoliosis, Dr. Nick Stojanovich, D.C. can consider the musculoskeletal complaint and determine whether chiropractic care is appropriate while recommending additional evaluation or referral when indicated.
Adult Scoliosis
Some adults have scoliosis that began during adolescence.
Others develop spinal curvature later in life in association with degenerative changes in the spine.
An adult may have known about their scoliosis for decades—or discover it after imaging is performed for another reason.
The important question isn't simply:
“Do you have scoliosis?”
It's:
“What is bothering you now?”
Is it lower-back pain?
Mid-back stiffness?
Muscle fatigue?
Difficulty getting comfortable after sitting or standing?
A change in activity tolerance?
Symptoms extending into a leg?
The answers help determine whether the current complaint appears musculoskeletal, whether chiropractic care may be appropriate, and whether additional evaluation is needed.
Can Chiropractic Care Straighten Scoliosis?
This is an important question and one we should answer clearly.
Chiropractic care should not be presented as a way to guarantee correction or straightening of a structural scoliosis curve.
A chiropractic adjustment is not the same thing as changing the measured degree of a scoliosis curve.
For appropriate patients, chiropractic care may instead focus on associated musculoskeletal concerns such as pain, stiffness, movement, and function.
That distinction matters.
The goal of care should be based on realistic findings and appropriate expectations, not promises about changing the shape of the spine.
Chiropractic Care for Scoliosis-Related Musculoskeletal Complaints
Having scoliosis doesn't automatically mean you need chiropractic treatment.
It also doesn't automatically mean chiropractic care is inappropriate.
Dr. Nick Stojanovich, D.C. considers your age, symptoms, scoliosis history, examination findings, health history, previous imaging, and other relevant factors before recommending care.
When chiropractic treatment is appropriate, the approach is individualized.
Care may focus on musculoskeletal function, comfortable movement, and symptoms associated with joints, muscles, and other appropriate structures.
Treatment techniques may also be modified according to the individual patient's condition and tolerance.
What Happens During a Scoliosis Chiropractic Evaluation?
Your evaluation starts with understanding your history.
Dr. Nick Stojanovich, D.C. may ask:
When were you diagnosed with scoliosis?
How was it discovered?
Do you know where your spinal curve is located?
Have you had previous X-rays?
Has the curve been medically monitored?
Are you currently experiencing pain?
Where do you feel it?
Does sitting, standing, walking, exercising, or sleeping affect your symptoms?
Have your symptoms recently changed?
Do you have numbness, tingling, or weakness?
Your examination may include assessment of posture, spinal and extremity movement, musculoskeletal function, and neurological findings when appropriate.
If you have previous scoliosis X-rays or reports, bring them with you.
They may provide useful context alongside your current examination.
Do I Need X-Rays for Scoliosis?
X-rays are commonly used when scoliosis needs to be measured and evaluated.
But whether new imaging is appropriate depends on the individual situation.
If you've already had scoliosis imaging, Dr. Nick Stojanovich, D.C. can review the available information in the context of your current musculoskeletal complaint.
If additional imaging or specialist evaluation appears appropriate, he can discuss the next step or make an appropriate referral.
For children and adolescents, decisions about monitoring a scoliosis curve should be coordinated with the appropriate healthcare professional.
Can I Exercise if I Have Scoliosis?
For many people, having scoliosis doesn't mean giving up exercise or an active lifestyle.
Walking, strength training, recreational sports, golf, hiking, and other activities may still be part of life with scoliosis.
The appropriate type and intensity of activity depend on the individual, particularly when pain, neurological symptoms, significant spinal changes, previous surgery, or other health concerns are present.
If a particular activity repeatedly causes or worsens symptoms, that deserves evaluation rather than simply assuming scoliosis means you need to stop being active.
Scoliosis, Posture and the Myth of Being “Perfectly Straight”
Someone with scoliosis may visibly stand differently from someone without a spinal curve.
That doesn't mean the goal should be forcing the body into a supposedly “perfect” posture throughout the day.
Human posture naturally changes with movement, activity, fatigue, and position.
For someone with scoliosis, useful conversations about posture should focus on comfort, movement, function, and individual needs—not making someone feel that their body is “wrong” because it isn't perfectly symmetrical.
Supportive Therapies When Appropriate
Depending on the patient's symptoms, examination findings, health history, and goals, supportive therapies may sometimes be incorporated into chiropractic care.
Stojanovich Chiropractic offers several therapeutic modalities that may be considered when appropriate for the specific musculoskeletal complaint being addressed.
Not every therapy is appropriate for every person with scoliosis.
And supportive therapy shouldn't be presented as a method for straightening a structural spinal curve.
The evaluation determines what, if anything, belongs in an individualized treatment plan.
When Scoliosis Needs Additional Medical Evaluation
Certain situations deserve additional medical or specialist evaluation rather than relying solely on chiropractic care.
These may include:
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Newly suspected scoliosis in a growing child or teenager
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A known curve that requires monitoring during growth
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Significant or rapidly changing spinal asymmetry
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Severe or rapidly worsening pain
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Progressive weakness
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Significant numbness or neurological changes
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New difficulty walking or coordinating movement
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New bladder or bowel changes
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Significant symptoms following trauma
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Breathing concerns associated with significant spinal deformity
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Other unusual or rapidly progressing symptoms
Dr. Nick Stojanovich, D.C. can help determine when a patient's presentation warrants evaluation outside the chiropractic office.
Frequently Asked Questions About Scoliosis
can change during growth. The appropriate monitoring plan depends on the individual situation.
Does Scoliosis Mean My Child Will Need a Brace?
Not necessarily. Decisions about bracing depend on factors such as curve size, skeletal maturity, growth remaining, progression, and other clinical considerations. These decisions should be made with an appropriate scoliosis healthcare specialist.
Does Scoliosis Mean I'll Need Surgery?
No. Having scoliosis does not automatically mean surgery is necessary. Management depends on factors including curve severity, age, progression, symptoms, function, and overall clinical picture.
Can I Exercise With Scoliosis?
Many people with scoliosis remain active. Appropriate exercise depends on the individual, particularly when symptoms or other health concerns are present.
Do I Need New X-Rays if I Already Know I Have Scoliosis?
Not automatically. The need for additional imaging depends on your age, symptoms, previous imaging, clinical findings, and reason for evaluation.
When Should I Be Concerned About Scoliosis?
A newly suspected curve in a growing child, noticeable progression, significant or worsening pain, neurological symptoms, weakness, walking difficulties, or other concerning changes deserve appropriate evaluation.
Looking for Chiropractic Care for Scoliosis in Walnut Creek, California?
Whether you've known about your scoliosis for decades or have questions about how it relates to symptoms you're experiencing now, you don't have to make assumptions about what your spine needs.
Start with an appropriate evaluation.
With more than 27 years in practice, Dr. Nick Stojanovich, D.C. provides individualized chiropractic and musculoskeletal care for appropriate patients with scoliosis in Walnut Creek and surrounding Contra Costa County and East Bay communities.
When additional imaging, medical monitoring, or specialist evaluation is appropriate, that should be part of the conversation too.
Contact Stojanovich Chiropractic to schedule an evaluation and discuss the appropriate next step for your musculoskeletal concerns.
