THINK IT'S JUST AGE? IT MIGHT BE SCOLIOSIS...

With summer here and more time to travel, play, or simply reset your habits, there’s one important thing that often gets overlooked… and, of course, it starts with your spine.
Most people think scoliosis is something that only affects children. But here’s what you may not know:

• An estimated 6 to 9 percent of the population has scoliosis. That’s nearly 1 in 11 to 1 in 16 people.
• ​It often goes undiagnosed until symptoms like pain, fatigue, or uneven posture become noticeable.
• ​And scoliosis doesn’t go away with age. It progresses.

In fact, adult-onset scoliosis is a real and growing concern. According to the National Institutes of Health, as we age, degenerative changes in the spine can cause curvature and imbalance, even in those who had no issues earlier in life. That means older adults can and should get checked, especially if they’re experiencing any of the following:
✅ Persistent low back or hip pain
✅ One shoulder higher than the other
✅ Uneven hips or pant legs
✅ A feeling of imbalance when standing or walking
✅ Muscle fatigue or stiffness on one side

As my patients all know, subluxations and spinal imbalances (even mild ones) interfere with neural communication. This absolutely impacts your organs and body systems far beyond the musculoskeletal.
Over the years, I've seen again and again how spinal stress affects everything from energy, digestion, immune response, focus, sleep, and even emotional regulation. Your spine is a your body's central channel and when it is under stress, EVERYTHING is. 

Chiropractic exams and adjustments should always be your first line of defense, even when you feel "fine", because health is not the absence of symptoms. It is the presence of alignment, electrical flow, and optimal energy. 

Why Earlier Is Better:I recommend scoliosis screenings starting around age 12 - not because problems magically begin at the time but because signs are often easier to detect during bigger changes and growth from early childhood to teen years.

Let's be clear: Scoliosis is not simply the result of "growing too fast", but rather a culmination of one or many things that affect health. Things like: 
✅ Prenatal stress, nutrition, and birth trauma can cause subtle imbalances from the start.
✅ Emotional stress in the home — tension between parents, fear, instability — can create holding patterns in the child’s nervous system.
✅ Tension in the fascial web (which wraps the entire body) can pull the spine out of alignment as growth occurs.
✅ And nutritional depletion from a processed diet makes bones and connective tissue less adaptable to change.
In truth, scoliosis, and any type of dis-ease, is a whole-body, whole-life issue, and we must look at it that way. The earlier we can identify imbalances, whether structural or neurological, the greater the opportunity to correct, stabilise, and support the body’s natural symmetry but also its overall health and function.
One Patient's Story:
"I’m a 15-year-old girl who used to experience fatigue and lower back pain walking home from school. My parents noticed a slight tilt in my posture and brought me to Dr. Pim.
Within weeks, I saw huge improvements — not just in pain and stamina, but in my mindset and confidence. I didn’t realize how much scoliosis was affecting my emotions. Now, half a year into treatment, I’m pain-free, standing straighter, and thriving.
Dr. Pim’s adjustments, dietary guidance, and daily exercises helped me feel stronger, clearer, and more like myself again.”

In my last newsletter, I created a download for you to keep on hand so you can learn ways to address good posture but also track your progress. (get it below!) Please keep using it beyond the 14 days because eventually poor posture creates very serious health problems down the road. 

The way to address scoliosis is with the basics: and that is to adjust, actively correct, and anchor. This will not only remove interferences but also reset your nervous system so you can get back on track over time. 
If you didn't download it the last time, I encourage you to do so now so you can start incorporating some of the tools and techniques today. 
📥 DIDN'T GET IT? GET THE 14-DAY POSTURE RESET TRACKER → HERE
📍 Bring it to your next adjustment for tailored insights and custom guidance.
Now through August, I'll be focusing on scoliosis-specific posture checks so be sure to let me know you're interested to get screened. This will help you or your child identify the type of spinal misalignments and imbalances that could be hiding in plain sight!

See you in the office,
Dr. Michael Pim