We hear the phrase all the time – scoliosis warriors. It is frequently used to describe the brave young women and men who are diagnosed with scoliosis, and you often hear and see it on social media, t-shirts, etc. Here at Scolios-us, we’ve even used the phrase. But it’s time we reconsider. Yes, you are Read more about No More Scoliosis Warriors | Changing Our Way Of Thinking[…]
Rebuilding the Body & Mind Relationship Written by Megan Glahn Castille I am by no means a good skier. But, during my trip to Salt Lake City in January 2023, being a mediocre skier and tackling a black slope for the first time meant so much more than just that. To give you some background, Read more about Rebuilding the Body & Mind Relationship[…]
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?[…]
