Case Study:
Scoliosis Pain
& Exercise
Statistical Storytelling in Action!
The Impact of Exercise on Adult Scoliosis:
A Survey Instrument Pilot Study
At the age of 16, my life was forever changed by the diagnosis of severe, debilitating scoliosis. At 19, I underwent Harrington Rod surgery that moderately corrected and stabilized my spinal S-curve. But it would be decades after that when I would become fully immersed in the connection between exercise and chronic adult scoliosis pain.
That is when my personal story became my life’s work.
~Christine Whitmarsh, B.S.N., M.S.
At the age of 16, my life was forever changed by the diagnosis of severe, debilitating scoliosis. At 19, I underwent Harrington Rod surgery that moderately corrected and stabilized my spinal S-curve. But it would be decades after that when I would become fully immersed in the connection between exercise and chronic adult scoliosis pain.
That is when my personal story became my life’s work.
~Christine Whitmarsh, B.S.N., M.S.
The SE-18 Scoliosis Pain & Exercise Scale
The relationship between scoliosis pain and exercise is characterized in the literature as inconsistent and highly subjective to each patient. Researchers cite a lack of understanding about the true nature and causes of scoliosis pain, often referring to scoliosis as solely a “structural deformity.”
This survey instrument pilot study aimed to better understand scoliosis pain, filling in the gaps left by existing scales on scoliosis and chronic pain. The scale also aimed to assess participant experiences and attitudes about utilizing exercise for pain relief.
The 18-item survey instrument was distributed to a sample (n=95) of individuals who self-reported having adult scoliosis for 10 years or longer, who experience scoliosis pain, and who exercise. Reliability and exploratory factor analyses (EFA) were run on several scale subsets, with pain-related subsets and items showing higher reliability than exercise items.
This initial pilot study is the initial step in a planned long-term research mission to help establish evidence-based recommendations that can potentially help a large population of adults with scoliosis who experience long-term, chronic pain, and disability.
Check out this presentation featuring highlights from my 2024 survey instrument pilot study. The star of the show is a collection of charts and graphs that visually tell the story of my survey data.
Download Presentation here
Adult Scoliosis and Exercise:
A Survey Instrument Pilot Study
I am excited to share the publication of Adult Scoliosis and Exercise: A Survey Instrument Pilot Study by Christine Whitmarsh (that's me!). My pilot study introduces a new survey tool exploring how adults with long-term scoliosis experience pain and respond to exercise, uncovering three key pain dimensions and paving the way for more personalized treatment approaches.
Here’s the chronology of my research journey into the relationship between chronic scoliosis pain and exercise, a journey that began over 2 years ago.
For full document click here
Finally, here is the complete literature review from my work so far.
“Despite the high prevalence of adult scoliosis (AS), there is an important gap in the literature with limited evidence reporting the effect of exercise on back pain in adults with scoliosis.”
For full document click here
