Natasha Livingstone was 13 when a spinal surgeon told her that scoliosis would not ruin her life "unless you want to do bikini modelling." The comment stung and made her feel her condition was a disfigurement to be hidden. She declined a painful operation to fuse metal rods with her spine, a decision she regretted for years.
A Teenager's Struggle with Scoliosis
Livingstone's scoliosis was thoracolumbar, curving between the chest and lower back. It tilted her pelvis, making her right hip higher than her left and causing her torso to slant. Like 8 in 10 cases, the cause was unknown. She wore loose clothes to hide it, but summer shorts and bikinis were challenging—string bottoms slid down the straight side of her waist.
The surgeon's words echoed every time she tied a bow. Scoliosis became a deep insecurity, leading to disordered eating and an unhealthy relationship with her body. She sought validation through academic performance, sacrificing sleep and food.
Discovering Yoga as a Coping Strategy
A therapist recommended yoga for stress. Livingstone attended a class and loved it instantly. "The calm, rhythmic movement soothed my frazzled nerves," she says. Yoga became a daily practice through university, the pandemic, and her journalism career, offering relief after long hours standing in press pens.
Motivated by physical discomfort and love for the practice, she practised anywhere—using YouTube and a mat or even a hotel carpet. In 2025, she took a break from journalism and qualified as a yoga instructor.
A New Perspective on Scoliosis
Livingstone learned that yoga, originating over 5,000 years ago in ancient India, is primarily a philosophical study, with postures developed to prepare the body for meditation. Daily practice became a lifelong ritual. "For the first time, I felt gratitude towards my wonky spine for welding me to a revered tradition," she says.
Instead of frustration, she viewed scoliosis as her motivator—her reason to get on the mat. Now a qualified instructor at a hot yoga studio, she has updated her website with photos of her Lycra-clad body in postures. "It's not quite bikini modelling, but it's close enough for me."
