Scoliosis is the most common spinal condition affecting adolescents. It impacts about 2-3% of adolescents. However, a much smaller percentage of adolescents need active treatment, such as bracing or physical therapy, for their scoliosis. If you are receiving a scoliosis brace, it's possible that your friends don't know what scoliosis is or how bracing works. So, how should you tell them?

But let's back up. The first question is should you tell your friends about your scoliosis brace? YES - at least tell your best friends! Your best friends are there to love and support your, no matter what. This is a time where their support can be so so helpful. You can decide to tell your entire group of friends and classmates, or you can keep it more private and stick with your inner circle. That is entirely up to you, but we can't overstate how important it is to tell at least one best friend.

So, how should you tell them? There are several different ways that you can explain your brace. We'll outline a few below:

1. Compare your scoliosis brace to teeth braces

Lots of people have to have braces on their teeth, so this can be a great comparison. Just like how some people need braces to straighten out their teeth, some people need braces to straighten their spine. Teeth braces normally have to stay on for a few years to get the job done, so you can explain that you have to wear your brace for a while until you get done growing.

2. Compare your scoliosis brace to a cast for a broken arm or leg

Most people are familiar with casts for broken bones, so this can be another good comparison. When someone breaks a bone, the cast protects the bone. The cast helps the bone heal and can sometimes prevent the need for surgery. Your scoliosis brace is doing the exact same thing - it is protecting your spine by helping you grow as tall as possible. It's also trying to prevent the need for surgery, and in cases where surgery is unavoidable, it's trying to make surgery easier. Just like a cast, it's protecting you and helping you take care of your body in exactly the way it needs.

3. Compare your scoliosis brace to a piece of armor

Let's face it - armor is pretty cool. It also symbolizes bravery and strength - two things that you most definitely are! Armor protects people as they go into battle, and your brace is doing the same thing! It is protecting your spine by helping you grow as tall as possible. It's helping you prioritize your health, and that's such a powerful lesson to learn, especially at a young age.

4. Compare your scoliosis brace to a turtle shell

Channel you inner Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle and compare your brace to a turtle shell. What does a turtle shell do? Protect our lil turtle friends, just like your brace is protecting your spine.

What if someone else (classmate, stranger, etc.) finds out about your brace?

It's possible and actually quite likely that someone will randomly find out about your brace. It's best to be prepared for this situation, so you do not feel surprised or caught off guard. Thankfully, most people are simply curious and probably have not seen a scoliosis brace before. But remember, you can share as much or as little as you want about your brace and your situation. It is completely up to you how you want to handle this situation, so let's go through a couple options if someone asks you about your scoliosis brace:

1. Use one of the techniques above to explain your brace

Most people don't know how scoliosis bracing works, so if you feel safe and comfortable, you can help to educate this person about what scoliosis is and how bracing works.

2. Tell them it's none of their business 

Truthfully, it is none of their business. This is a personal situation that involves your health, so do not feel obligated to share all of the details of what you're going through. You can do this gently and say "This is something that I'm dealing with personally, and I don't want to share anything else." Or you can go with the classic "Nunya business," which is especially effective with rude boys.