My Brace Story

Being a slave to wearing a brace everyday is something that I try to approach with positivity (I guess slave and positivity in the same sentence are a bit of a paradox...I guess I’m like a tree that just needs some support?) Names aside, yes, I wear a brace to treat my scoliosis. And while it wouldn’t necessarily be my top choice as far as mobility and comfort go, I could be worse off.

Now down to the logistics: I have, since I was seven, used a Boston Brace. My doctor recommended this particular brace for me because of its success and history. And, I didn’t realize until doing a little bit of research for this article, that the Boston Brace, created in the 1970s, is the most common brace for scoliosis today. I am no professional when it comes to braces, but basically, the Boston Brace is plastic and can have padding on the inside that is shaped to accommodate for your curve. Here is a link to a more detailed description of the Boston Brace. As with anything, though, some curves require different braces...I like to think of it as if we are all just uniquely shaped trees that need different bands and sticks to pull us in the right direction.

I consider myself lucky to have been diagnosed so early because I don’t know what life without the brace is like. It’s easier to live your entire life without something than to live with it, and lose it all. I don’t know what it’s like to spend an entire day at the beach or to go on roller coasters without my skin getting pinched in the little nooks and crannies of the brace. But for ever con of bracing, there’s a pro. Bracing has significantly corrected my curve, and (knock on wood) I probably won't have to undergo spinal fusion surgery. It’s very easy to remember all of the negative things in life, but, even in hard times, it’s important to remember, we’re bent, not broken! :). ​