Tips for Heading Back to School We polled our scoli warriors to help get you ready to go back to school with your scoliosis brace! We asked them about different topics, and here are their responses: “If you feel like you want to hide your brace, you can wear your pants/shorts over your brace, then Read more about Tips for Heading Back to School from Fellow Bracers[…]
Dancing Through Scoliosis My name is Aika Takagi. I’m 13 years old. I wanted to share my scoliosis and dance journey. My scoliosis and dance journey are intertwined through my love for dance and pushing myself to do better in everything I do. When I was 11, I was diagnosed with scoliosis. Scoliosis is where Read more about Dancing Through Scoliosis[…]
Evie’s Bracing Success When I was in 5th grade, my gymnastics coach first spotted my scoliosis. I was then diagnosed with around a 40° lumbar curve and 22° thoracic curve in my spine and was placed in a Boston brace that I wore 20 hours a day. I remember the first thing I did was Read more about Evie’s Bracing Success[…]
Lydia’s Curvy Journey My name is Lydia and I live in Columbia, South Carolina. My journey with scoliosis has been just as curvy as my back. It all started when I was in 5th grade with a routine back test during gym class. When I got out of the dressing room, I got a note Read more about Lydia’s Curvy Journey[…]
Megan’s Scoli Journey in Malaysia Hi, my name is Megan and I’m just a regular 16-year-old who lives in the south of Malaysia. I first found out I had scoliosis when I was 12/13-years-old when a doctor noticed I was standing a bit slouched. Fast forward half a year with all the appointments and chiropractor Read more about Megan’s Scoli Journey in Malaysia[…]
We’re In This Together: Creating A Support Network For Girls With Scoliosis Abby is 12 years old and was diagnosed with scoliosis in 2018. Shortly after, she was fit with her scoliosis brace at Shriners Hospitals for Children — Portland. She and her mom, Christine, began looking to connect with fellow bracers around Abby’s age. Read more about We’re In This Together[…]
Turning Lemons into Lemonade Try to turn your bracing experience into a positive journey. Just think, when you bump into things where your brace is, it does not hurt since you hit your brace instead. You also have an instant table to write on when you take it off, and you can open straws really Read more about Turning Lemons into Lemonade[…]
A Day in a Boston Brace & Brace Tips Hi my name is Aika. I wanted to share a little about a day in a Boston brace. I have to wear my brace between 16-18 hour a day, so I choose my “off” time for when I am training as a competitive Irish dancer. I Read more about A Day in a Boston Brace & Brace Tips[…]
Aika’s Adventures: My Biggest Supporter My name is Aika. I was diagnosed with scoliosis a month after my 11th birthday. I was scared when I first heard but then was quickly relieved. My biggest supporter, my mother, is a scoliosis success story, although during her journey, she had days where she did not feel that Read more about My Biggest Supporter[…]
Aika’s Adventures My name is Aika. I was diagnosed with scoliosis a month after my 11th birthday. Within 10 months, my T/L curve had jumped 11 degrees to 32 degrees, which meant bracing was the next step. I was nervous when I heard I needed to get a brace; however, there are a LOT Read more about Aika’s Adventures[…]
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!
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[…]
“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[…]
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.
