Hailey’s Road to Bracing My name is Hailey, and this is my story! I am 12 years old, and I am from Hickman, Nebraska. I discovered I have scoliosis about 2 and a half years ago, but did not start bracing until this summer when my top curve reached 48 degrees and my bottom curve Read more about Hailey’s Road to Bracing[…]
Sophia’s Scoliosis Story Hi everyone!! My name is Sophia (@sophiasscoliosis on instagram), and this is my scoliosis story!! When I was 15, I battled back pain and stiffness for months before finally making an appointment with a spine specialist at Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children. On October 12th, 2018, I was diagnosed with severe Read more about Sophia’s Scoliosis Story[…]
Four Years and Four Braces Later: Lily’s Bracing Journey Hi! My name is Lily and I am 13 years old and live in Sunriver, Oregon. When I was 9 and in 4th grade I was having a really hard time taking deep breaths so my mom brought me to the doctor. My mom has asthma and Read more about Four Years and Four Braces Later: Lily’s Bracing Journey[…]
Emma’s Scoliosis Story Emma created this wonderful video to share her scoliosis story and to raise awareness during Scoliosis Awareness Month!
No Schroth Physiotherapist in Your Area? What Now? By Rosemary Marchese (Physiotherapist, Schroth and SEAS methods for Scoliosis) Schroth Physiotherapists can be found all around the world. However there is definitely more need in some areas. It might be frustrating if you find yourself with Scoliosis and in need of a Schroth physiotherapist and you Read more about No Schroth Physiotherapist in Your Area? What Now?[…]
Self Posture-Check! Screening Your Back for Scoliosis or Scoliosis Changes By Rosemary Marchese (Physiotherapist) A healthy posture is a great goal to aim for! You can have scoliosis and still make great improvements to your posture in many cases. Checking your back for scoliosis or scoliosis changes is best done by your treating doctor or physiotherapist Read more about Self Posture-Check! Screening Your Back for Scoliosis or Scoliosis Changes[…]
My Scoliosis Story – Jessica Rangel My name is Jessica Rangel, and I had scoliosis surgery when I was 15 years old. Throughout my surgery recovery I made YouTube videos to document my scoliosis journey and to help others who are going through this as well. You are not alone!
Taking Care Of Your Mental Health Growing up is tough. Growing up while wrapped in a giant scoliosis brace can be even tougher. We all know that bracing can be stressful, and we have research that supports this. Research has shown that bracing can lead to feelings of stress, anger, and shame, and bracers tend Read more about Taking Care Of Your Mental Health[…]
National Scoliosis Center Urges Parents to Check Children’s Spines Experts in spinal abnormalities at the National Scoliosis Center urge parents to be cognizant of changes in their children’s posture or complaints of lower back pain, as these may be indications of a spinal condition. Many of the signs and symptoms of spinal conditions are easily Read more about National Scoliosis Center Urges Parents to Check Children’s Spines[…]
Fighting Scoliosis Together – Brooke’s Story Hi! My name is Brooke ,and I am 13 years old from Alberta, Canada. I was diagnosed with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis in May of 2018 when I was 11. I was sent to get an x-ray a few days later. At this point, I just felt extremely unlucky. I Read more about Fighting Scoliosis Together – Brooke’s Story[…]
Elizabeth’s Scoliosis Story I was told I had scoliosis on December 24, 2015. I was scared and sad and confused. I had no idea what this would mean. I heard the words, brace and surgery, but did not comprehend any of it.
A Scoliosis Warrior – Trinity’s Story When my daughter, Trinity, was 5 yrs old, we took her in to our family physician for a normal school physical. The doctor did a Scoliosis check on her and suggested that we have some X-rays done as more of a precaution than anything. To this point, Trinity had Read more about A Scoliosis Warrior – Trinity’s Story[…]
Kylie’s Scoliosis Journey Hi! I’m Kylie. I live in Bossier City, Louisiana. I’m ten years old and I have scoliosis. I was first diagnosed with scoliosis when I was 7. At first, they just watched and waited to see what my back was going to do. It progressed a little between appointments but not too Read more about WCR Bracing, Schroth, and Curvy Girls – Kylie’s Journey[…]
Izzy’s Surgery Story Hi, my name is Izzy and I am 13 years old. I was diagnosed with scoliosis when I was 5 years old and immediately fitted for a brace. I wore a providence brace for 1.5 years and it was holding my 20 degree thoracic curve. Later I was switched to a Boston Read more about Izzy’s Surgery Story[…]
The decision to move forward or not move forward with surgery is not one that should be taken lightly. Some cases are straight forward, while others, like Anastasia’s, are a little more complicated. Anastasia’s mom, Stacey, shares the dilemma they faced when their doctor did not recommend surgery for Anastasia’s 50° curve. While reliving this Read more about Surgery Is Not Always Recommended – Family Facing a Surgery Dilemma[…]
“When I was 15, I was diagnosed with scoliosis (32 and 42 degrees). I had no idea what that was, and I was really scared. I hated how my back looked and that it was hurting. It made me feel different and drastically lowered my self-esteem. I felt a bit lost. By now I understand Read more about Yoga for Scoliosis[…]
When to “Watch and Wait” Your child is diagnosed with scoliosis and your parental instincts kick in: you want to make it better and make it better right away. Delaying any sort of treatment just does not seem like a viable option. Your clinician’s advice of “watch and wait” goes against every parental instinct that Read more about When to “Watch and Wait”[…]
Bad Sobernheim Stress Questionnaire Welcome to the Bad Sobernheim Stress Questionnaire (BSSQ-Brace) These questions are about how you feel while wearing a brace. Please read this questionnaire carefully and answer truthfully. This questionnaire makes it easier for you to recognize any psychological stress caused by your brace. Your results will be shown on the next Read more about How Does Bracing Make You Feel?[…]
Month One Survival Guide Change is never easy, and during the first month of bracing, there are lots of changes that you will be experiencing. Everyone’s experience with bracing is a little unique, but our goal is to help you through these changes with tips that bracers have found to be helpful during the first Read more about Month One Survival Guide[…]
My Scoliosis Journey My name is Sydnee Lubar and I am 17 years old. In 2014, I was diagnosed with scoliosis and was told by my orthopedic surgeon that I would need a back brace consultation. Scoliosis was a new word to me and wearing a back brace was something I never imagined I would Read more about S P I N E S : The Art of Scoliosis[…]
My name is Sydnee Lubar and I am 17 years old. In 2014, I was diagnosed with scoliosis and was told by my orthopedic surgeon that I would need a back brace consultation. Scoliosis was a new word to me and wearing a back brace was something I never imagined I would need to do. I wondered about my daily comfort, how it would look, and how this process would change my entire life. Choosing Luke Stikeleather as my orthotist was the best decision I could've ever made. It was clear through his revolutionary brace technology and kindness that I was in good hands.
Of course wearing a brace took some getting used to. The first nights were sleepless and wearing my brace on the first day of school was terrifying. I thought that scoliosis had ruined my life; however, once I saw the improvement in my curve, my thoughts changed from angry and insecure, to grateful and proud. I realized that having scoliosis takes confidence, responsibility, and toughness. I was determined to continue wearing my brace and decrease my curvature. After a year of wearing my brace for 22 hours a day and two years of wearing it at night, scoliosis has become part of my life. Not only have I seen significant improvement in my curve, but my attitude towards life's challenges has changed. My scoliosis journey is the inspiration for SPINES.
As I have experienced the challenges of living with scoliosis, it has become my mission to spread awareness about this condition. Most do not know what scoliosis even is and how it can impact the lives of all ages. Through my passion for photography, I want S P I N E S to bring awareness to this condition and display the beauty of scoliosis. To me, it was important to involve women and children of all ages in order to illustrate the generational significance of scoliosis and how it affects 10 times more girls than boys. S P I N E S is a black and white collection of bareback and brace photos, along with each model's unique story and experience.
If I had ignored my curve and refused to wear a brace, I would have eventually undergone spinal surgery. Thanks to Luke and his team at the National Scoliosis Center, individuals of all ages can avoid surgery and feel confident in knowing that there is a safe alternative. Through S P I N E S, I hope to highlight the beauty within this physical challenge and illustrate its significance to me.
All of the proceeds of my book will be donated to the National Scoliosis Foundation to promote the research of scoliosis and nonoperative treatment methods.
