Holiday Shopping Guide: Top Gift Ideas for People With Scoliosis

Dec 19

We’re well into the holiday season — how is your gift shopping going? (I’m working through my list.) But one of the things I’ve been hearing from my clients and other members of the scoliosis community is questions about good scoliosis gifts.

Now is the perfect time of year to treat a scolio-friend (or yourself!) to a gift that helps with scoliosis. But with all the advertising (and unhelpful products) out there, it can be hard to figure out what to buy. So I thought it would be helpful to give you some gift ideas for people with scoliosis and hopefully make your shopping a little bit easier.

Scoliosis Gift #1: Props

Scoliosis equipment and props are some of the best things you can get as a gift for someone with scoliosis. They can be helpful for making exercise moves more accessible and decreasing back pain in daily life.

Here are some of the scoliosis props that I recommend for gift-giving:

Coregeous ball: This works well to modify Pilates exercises, and the grippy texture means that it doesn’t slip out from under you as easily as a traditional Pilates ball. It can also help with mobilization work.
Franklin balls: These are smaller and firmer than the Coregeous ball, and they are good tools for release work to help relax tight muscles.
Traction belt: This is a fantastic alternative to a wall ladder for elongation exercises.
Wedges: These work well to help prop yourself up for comfort and support better alignment when you’re doing sitting or supine exercises.
Pull-up bar: This offers another great way to complete elongation exercises.
Gua sha tool or dry brush: Both of these tools can help you care for your lymphatic system, which impacts your overall health and scoliosis symptoms.

All of these tools and props offer benefits for people with scoliosis, which makes them excellent options for holiday gifting.

Scoliosis Gift #2: Comfortable Clothing

Having comfortable clothing is important for anyone (at least in my opinion). But it’s also important to find clothes that work well with your curve, whether you want to hide it or flaunt it. Here are some gifts that you might want to consider for yourself or anyone you know well enough to buy clothing for:

Wireless bras: I like Honeylove’s choices
Clothing subscription service: I’ve had good luck with Stitch Fix — these services allow you to enter your measurements and style preferences, so it’s often easier to get things that fit really well than just shopping in a department store.

If you want more information about scoliosis and clothing choices, listen to Episode 31 of Ahead of the Curve.

Scoliosis Gift #3: Bodywork Gift Card

Many people with scoliosis find pain relief through massage therapy, acupuncture, or craniosacral therapy. All of these approaches can help reduce pain, improve sleep, mitigate stress, and increase mental clarity. If you know which one your scolio-friend sees, a gift card for that provider can be a fantastic option that you know will be appreciated.

What is craniosacral therapy?

A form of alternative medicine, craniosacral therapy involves gentle manipulation of your spine, head, and pelvis. The idea is to promote the healthy flow of cerebrospinal fluid up and down the spinal column to help you feel better.

Scoliosis Gift #4: Food Service/Meal Kit Subscription

I’ve talked before about how much your diet can impact your scoliosis symptoms and overall health. But even if you’re committed to choosing nutritious foods that help you feel your best, it can be hard to find the time and energy to plan meals and grocery shop. And that doesn’t even include the cooking!

There are several meal services out there that can reduce the time and energy it takes to eat well. I like Home Chef and Hello Fresh, but there may be other good ones there too. A gift subscription to one of these services can be a great way to help a scolio-friend feel better and have more time and energy for other things they enjoy.

Scoliosis Gift #5: Mindfulness App

Meditation and mindfulness practices can help improve mental health and complement many of the physical health aspects of scoliosis care. These tools can also help reduce anxiety, which affects many people with scoliosis. I’d recommend the NEUROFIT App, but there are many other great options as well.

Scoliosis Gift #5: Educational Resources

Learning how to self-treat can have many benefits for people with scoliosis. When you know more about your body and the different ways to potentially help yourself feel better, you can adapt your daily routine to incorporate those things. Plus, educating yourself on your condition can help you be a better advocate for yourself with your professional care providers.

I’ve learned a lot from Dr. Perry Nickelston, DC, through his Stop Chasing Pain workshops, and I know there are other great resources out there. A gift card for some of these educational workshops or events could be a good gift option.

Scoliosis Gift #6: Scoliologic Fitness Subscription

Finally, consider a gift subscription to my virtual scoliosis coaching program, Scoliologic Fitness. Members get one live scoliosis-friendly exercise class each week, plus a library of pre-recorded classes. Plus, there’s a monthly Q&A session to help you learn more about scoliosis and how to manage your symptoms. Get all the details to decide if this is a gift you want to give — or put on your list to receive!

If you want to stay up-to-date on scoliosis topics, listen to my podcast, Ahead of the Curve. Subscribe to get every episode when it airs!