Spinal Anatomy…and Scoliosis! Written by Emma Yuguchi Your spine is extremely complex and in fact – pretty remarkable! Throughout my scoliosis journey, I was intrigued at the amazing complexity of the spine. Although scoliosis can sometimes be confusing, it was fascinating to learn a little bit more about the backbone of my body. I remember Read more about Spinal Anatomy…and Scoliosis![…]
Presentations for Scoliosis Warriors Heading Back to School Going back to school with your new scoliosis brace can be the perfect opportunity to teach your classmates about scoliosis! You might feel a little nervous going back to school with your brace, and that’s perfectly normal. Your classmates are probably curious about your brace, so giving Read more about Presentations for Scoliosis Warriors Heading Back to School[…]
The Unknowns: Controllables vs Uncontrollables Written by Annie Kramer At the age of 12, I was diagnosed with severe idiopathic scoliosis. Walking into a new school as a 6th grader had its challenges, especially with the additional challenge of my worsening spine. Before I knew it my doctors put me in a full-time hard shell Read more about The Unknowns: Controllables vs Uncontrollables[…]
Let Them Play Sports! Addressing the Topic of Sports and Scoliosis The discovery of scoliosis or other spine structural changes often leads to a myriad of follow-up questions. Among them, discussion around the role of sports participation. Bottom line – let them continue to play sports! Let’s dig in a bit deeper. Today’s blog post Read more about Let Them Play Sports! Addressing the Topic of Sports and Scoliosis[…]
Mehta Casting Written by Pediatric RN, Sarah Tollison What is Mehta casting? Mehta casting is a series of casts that are changed every 2-3 months that gently straighten a child’s spine. The cast is made out of either plaster of paris or fiberglass and is shaped around their torso. There is a hole for their Read more about Mehta Casting[…]
Creating a Welcoming Environment for Your Scoliosis Patients When patients first enter our O&P offices, they are frequently already overwhelmed. Many have just found out about their scoliosis. Others have been being observed for years, but were just told that their curves have worsened. Emotions are high as they enter our office for their initial Read more about Creating a Welcoming Environment for Your Scoliosis Patients[…]
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[…]
Questions To Ask Your Orthotist Being measured and fit with your brace can be an overwhelming experience for lots of new bracers. You may forget to ask questions or not know what to ask. We’ve got you covered! Here is a list of questions to get you started. Brace Type and Function Is bracing commonly Read more about Questions To Ask Your Orthotist[…]
What Do We Know About What Causes Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis? HINT: It’s not caused by your child’s posture, backpack-carrying habits, or body mechanics Every so often, during my physical therapy evaluation with a family who has just discovered their teen has scoliosis, I will be asked the following set of questions: “Is it their posture Read more about What Causes Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis?[…]
National Scoliosis Center Uses iButton to Track Brace Wear Time in Patients Successful scoliosis treatment for teens and children who select bracing to help them avoid surgery primarily depends on two factors – competency of the medical care team and brace wearing compliance by the patient. One of the biggest challenges for parents and the Read more about National Scoliosis Center Uses iButton to Track Brace Wear Time in Patients[…]
What Is Physiotherapeutic Scoliosis-Specific Exercise All About? Author Kelly Grimes, Physiotherapist (Full disclosure: I am a physiotherapist who has PSSE training. This is my take on PSSE.) Here is your brief lowdown on specific exercise for scoliosis and spine structural variations. If you’re an individual with scoliosis, kyphosis, or other spine structural variations, or a Read more about What Is Physiotherapeutic Scoliosis-Specific Exercise All About?[…]
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[…]
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[…]
“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.
