There seems to be some connection in that the use of cpap might be used as a treatment to increase lung capacity.
The following information is from the University of Maryland Medical Center website.
According to this website scoliosis is a deformity in the curvature of the spine, and the cause of most of the cases is unknown. Also according to this site, the severe and very severe levels of scoliosis (70 degrees of curvature and more) affects the lungs and causes breathing problems.
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WHAT ARE NONSURGICAL MEASURES FOR MANAGING THE EFFECTS OF SCOLIOSIS?
Exercise
For anyone, exercise has many health benefits and is important for maintaining strength and muscle tone and stabilizing weight.
Exercise for Prevention of Progression. Early studies did not find any reduction in or slowing of progression of curves with exercise. Few were performed, however, and German researchers have suggested that such studies were done before specific exercises were developed that might be helpful. In their study, patients with an average curvature of 27% showed less progression after physiotherapy than that expected in patients with no treatment.
A small 2000 US study used a MedX Torso Rotation machine that trains and strengthens the muscles that turn the torso. In the study, the 12 patients increased strength from 12% to 40%. One patient, a girl with a severe lumbar curve, required surgery. There was no progression of curvature in the remaining 11 patients, and four of the patients experienced a reduction in their curvature. No braces were used.
Exercising the torso to build muscle strength is important, in any case, in conjunction with braces. [See How Are Braces Used for Scoliosis?]
Stretching exercises may be beneficial in children whose scoliosis is due to uneven leg lengths or a shortened tendon.
Exercise in Adults with a History of Scoliosis. In adults with a history of scoliosis and previous surgery, moderate exercise is not harmful and is extremely important for maintaining healthy supportive muscles and preventing disk degeneration. In one study, pilates, an exercise practice that uses yoga principles, was helpful in a woman with progressively and disabling severe low back pain and who had a history of fusion surgery. This approach deserves further research. The only cautionary note is for people with only one or two mobile lumbar vertebrae below the area that was fused during surgery. These people should avoid activity or exercise that causes excessive twisting on the spine; some experts believe this may accelerate spinal degeneration.
Improving Lung Function
Airway Ventilation at Night. Some studies have investigated the use of airways systems, such as nasal continuous positive airflow pressure, for patients with severe scoliosis and reduced lung capacity. Such systems are used during the night to force air into the upper airways and into the lungs. In one study, the use of these devices reduced hospitalization and improved lung function, shortness of breath, and fatigue. Such systems are used in the treatment of sleep apnea, a common sleep disorder.
Breathing Exercises. Breathing exercises may help improve lung function in children with scoliosis and signs of lung problems.
Heel Lifts for Secondary Scoliosis
When secondary scoliosis is caused by differences in leg lengths, adding lifts to the heels may decrease a mild curvature. In one study it decreased by an average of 5.3 to 7.5 degrees. (All curvatures were less than 20 degrees.) Patients with the greatest curvature experienced some muscle pain, fatigue, and even nausea during the first few days they were using the lifts, but these symptoms eased within 10 days.
Alternative Nonsurgical Procedures
Electrostimulation. Electrostimulation, in which electrical current is applied to the back muscles, has been used in some cases of mild scoliosis, but most studies have now reported that it does no better than observation in stopping progression.
Biofeedback. Biofeedback has been investigated on the premise that being given a signal to improve one's posture when slumping may reduce spinal deformities in some cases. (Some experts believe that braces work only because the young patients self-correct their curves by retraining their posture to avoid the discomfort of the brace.)
Chiropractic Care. There are numerous case reports that chiropractic manipulation of the spine may help stop progression of mild curves. However, no rigorous studies have been done to prove this. One small 2001 study reported no benefits from chiropractic manipulation in girls with spinal curves of less than 20 degrees. (About 80% of such curves will not progress significantly without any treatment.)