18/06/2026
Personal message from Katie. Bent but not broken...
Hey Evesham & Pershore community! ❤️ I wanted to share a bit of my personal scoliosis journey in the hope that it might help someone else in our lovely town who is secretly struggling. June is scoliosis awareness month.
For most of my life, my world was dictated by a 58-degree spinal curve and severe rotation. At 50 years old, living with this level of scoliosis meant living in near-constant pain. 😩
Simple, everyday things were a battleground. Standing for more than a few minutes? Agony. Walking any real distance? Impossible. Even sitting offered little relief. It completely stole the joy from holidays, visiting a new city meant mapping out my next place to sit. 🗺️ I used to joke that I felt like a druggie looking for a fix, except my "fix" was just a bench! 🪑 I’ve even sneaked into charity shop changing rooms just to sit down for sixty seconds of relief.
Then, everything changed. I discovered Halimah at Pink Shrimp Pilates right here in Evesham, and stepped onto a Reformer machine. 🦐💪
I’m not exaggerating when I say Reformer Pilates has completely changed my life. On my recent holiday, for the first time ever, my family actually struggled to keep up with *me*! 🏃♀️
🤔 Why Reformer Pilates is a Game-Changer for Scoliosis.
If you have scoliosis, you know that standard exercises can sometimes do more harm than good. The Reformer machine is entirely different. Here is how it targets a scoliotic spine:
⚖️ Balances Muscle Asymmetry: It targets those less-dominant, weaker muscles, waking them up to help pull the body back toward balance.
🛡️ Deep Core Strengthening: It builds an internal "corset" of muscle, supporting the curved spine and taking the pressure off the joints.
☁️ Low-Impact Decompression: Because you often exercise lying down, it decompresses the spine and reduces nerve pain while you build strength.
🔄 Unilateral Training: You can work one side of the body at a time, so your stronger side can't cheat or take over!
🧘♀️Improved Flexibility: It helps stretch out the tight.
💡 My Biggest Advice: Start with a One-to-One!
If you are living with scoliosis and want to try this, please don't just jump into a random group class. Every scoliotic spine has its own unique "map" of curves and rotations. 🧩
I highly, highly recommend booking a one-to-one private session with Halimah first. She is absolutely incredible at figuring out exactly what your specific body needs, identifying your unique structural quirks, and safely tailoring the machine so you get maximum pain relief. 🌟
Living with a 58-degree curve doesn't mean you have to accept a life of limitations and pain. It took me until I was 50, but I finally have my freedom back! 🕊️
👉 You can check them out and book here: https://www.pinkshrimppilates.co.uk/
Any other scoliosis warriors out there in Evesham? Give us a thumbs up 👍 or a love ❤️ in the comments! I'd love to connect! 👇✨
We have a dedicated Evesham Facebook group.
Also see more advice
https://ssr.org.uk/?hl=en-GB
