Emma Elliot swims on despite her scoliosis

Competing in a high school sport is challenging in itself, but being diagnosed with a serious condition after an injury adds a whole other layer of complications.

Emma Elliott, a senior on the swim team, was diagnosed with scoliosis before the start of her sophomore year. Prior to the end of her freshman year, an issue occurred while running for physical education (PE); something had moved out of place in her lower back.

“I knew something was wrong with my back, but out of stubbornness and a hope that it would get better over time, I thought it was some other problem. I didn’t know I actually had scoliosis,” Elliot said.

After the initial injury, the pain was a significant factor in Elliot’s routine, and it didn’t seem to improve. The pain was emotionally draining and made it difficult for Elliot to complete simple tasks. 

“It got to a point where I wouldn’t even get up out of bed in the morning, and I couldn’t carry my backpack or put on my shoes without severe pain. What’s worse was that I couldn’t swim for a few months because of the pain I was in,” Elliot said.

After barely being able to swim, treatment with a chiropractor was arranged, which slightly helped Elliot’s pain. The summer after her freshman year, another shift occurred during swim practice, this time in her upper back. This shift called for a trip back to the chiropractor.

“I finally went back to the chiropractor after being fed up with the pain, and they told me I had scoliosis. I started crying because I didn’t want it to affect my swimming,” Elliot said.

Despite visits to chiropractors in attempts to alleviate the pain, Elliot was still suffering. 

“I thought that if I went to the chiropractor enough, things would get better over time. I was wrong,” Elliot said.

Changes were finally made to allow Elliot to get back to swimming and everyday activities. Physical therapy, a change in sleeping position, and strength training were what ultimately helped Elliot. All these factors got rid of her pain and strengthened her back muscles. She learned this through some of her research and help from her dad.

“I am really careful now with the way I sleep. If I sleep in the wrong position, I’m in more pain than usual the next day,” Elliot said. 

Elliot learned a calculated sleeping position through a lot of trial and error. This and consistent strength training have helped Elliot incredibly as she can now excel in her swimming without pain holding her back.

Now, Elliot understands her scoliosis more than ever and can determine the severity of her issues when she has pain. 

“I think I have a better sense of my body and how it’s feeling. I know the difference between my back being sore from a workout or sore because something is wrong,”  

Elliot feels optimistic about the future because as she gains strength, her back pain decreases. Although there are worries about it getting worse, she is confident that that won’t be the case through consistent training.