Fig. 30
From: Physiotherapy scoliosis-specific exercises – a comprehensive review of seven major schools
The “Muscle-cylinder” exercise (also known as the “Side-lying” exercise), focusing mainly on the correction of the lumbar scoliosis curve. During this exercise, the patient lies on the lumbar convex side. The lumbar convexity is supported by a rice bag to help align the spine in the horizontal plane. The patient’s right leg is supported by a stool (in case of 4C/major lumbar scoliosis) and the patient’s right arm is supported on a chair during the exercise. Light blue arrows represent trunk elongation with cranial and caudal forces. Green half-moons represent areas of expansion of the concavities. Red arrows represent areas of muscle activation, approximating the convexities towards midline, and the direction of the correction. The dark blue arrow pointing upwards from the right elbow represents the shoulder traction, which is an isometric tension from the shoulder in a lateral/outward direction with a fixed scapula as a continuation of the transversal expansion in the proximal thoracic region