Scoliosis on Britain’s Got Talent!

Scoliosis on Britain’s Got Talent!

Posted on by Louise
If you live in the UK, you probably saw the inspirational young dancer (Julia) with scoliosis on Britain's Got Talent. If you don't, or you haven't seen it, take a look at the video below. Scoliosis on Britain's Got Talent I was diagnosed with scoliosis when I was a similar age to Julia (14) and have struggled with body confidence issues all my life. Watching Julia perform on Saturday night made me feel quite emotional for two reasons: Firstly, I...Read More
International Scoliosis Awareness Day 2017

International Scoliosis Awareness Day 2017

Posted on by Louise
Did you know? June is scoliosis awareness month and Saturday 24th June 2017 is International Scoliosis Awareness Day! So make sure you put that date in your diary :) The day will soon be here and the Scoliosis Association have now launched their 2017 campaign #gotyourback17. You can download some posters and a fundraising pack from their website here: International Scoliosis Awareness Day 2017. Throughout June, I have lots of content planned for this blog to help raise awareness. I plan...Read More
5 ways to describe scoliosis pain

5 ways to describe scoliosis pain

Posted on by Louise
5 ways to describe scoliosis pain Living with a chronic back condition such as scoliosis is tough. But what does it really feel like living with scoliosis? What does scoliosis pain feel like? For those of us that live everyday with the condition, it can be hard to explain to those close to us how it feels. It can be difficult for others to understand what it's really like. I tend to just get on with things and I try...Read More
Scoliosis Books: 4 books you should read if you have scoliosis

Scoliosis Books: 4 books you should read if you have scoliosis

Posted on by Louise
This post contains affiliate links. Scoliosis Books: 4 Books you should read if you have scoliosis 1. Scoliosis Surgery: The Definitive Patient's Reference by David Wolpert I talk about this book a lot on this blog. That's because when I was deciding whether I should have scoliosis surgery this book really helped me. It helped me to understand the facts, which helped me to prepare. It's written by someone who has been through the surgery and describes in fantastic detail: What...Read More
5 Reasons to Love your Scars

5 Reasons to Love your Scars

Posted on by Louise
My scoliosis surgery left me with a huge scoliosis scar which runs down the length of my back. I for one am extremely proud of my scar and I never try to hide it. For me, my scar highlights what I have gone through and how far I have come in my battle with scoliosis. If you have a scoliosis scar, or any other kind of scar, you too should be proud of what it represents. Here are my 5...Read More
British 10k London Run

British 10k London Run

Posted on by Louise
I'm so excited! This week it was confirmed that I have a place in the British 10K London run on 9th July and I'll be running to raise money for the Scoliosis Campaign Fund. The British 10K London run takes runners through some of  London's most iconic sites, such as Trafalgar Square, the Embankment, Big Ben and more. The Scoliosis Campaign Fund raises money to support people with scoliosis and their families, and fund research into finding the causes of...Read More

One step forwards, two steps back…

Posted on by Louise
In the main, I really try to be positive on this blog and inspire others. I also want to be honest and reflect what it's really like living with scoliosis. There are good days and bad days and well, tonight if I'm being honest, I'm feeling really fed up. Leg Numbness For the past 6 months or so I've been getting numbness down my right leg and into my foot. It's not painful, it's just numb and my right leg...Read More
Pilates for Scoliosis: Review of Curves, Twists and Bends

Pilates for Scoliosis: Review of Curves, Twists and Bends

Posted on by Louise
This post contains affiliate links I recently purchased the above book from Amazon "Curves, Twists and Bends: A Practical Guide to Pilates with Scoliosis" and thought I'd share my honest opinion. Pilates is something I've always wanted to get into, as I know it's important for me to have a strong core. I have been to the odd Pilates class over the years but I've always left feeling underwhelmed. The issues I've had with Pilates classes are: Some Pilates exercises...Read More
Scoliosis surgery what to bring to hospital

Scoliosis surgery what to bring to hospital

Posted on by Louise
I get asked a lot what to bring to hospital for scoliosis surgery, so I've compiled a helpful list. I know how stressful it can all be so I've also created a checklist that you can easily download and print - see the link at the end of this post. Below are items that I found useful when I was recovering from scoliosis surgery in hospital but they are probably relevant for any back surgery. I hope you find it...Read More
I heart my Fitbit <3

I heart my Fitbit <3

Posted on by Louise
This post contains affiliate links It's a known fact that sitting down all day is bad for us and this especially true for those of us with scoliosis  - personally I find that my back hurts a lot more and feels much stiffer if I don't move around regularly. Walking is a fantastic way for most people with scoliosis to stay in shape as it doesn't put too much pressure on the back and over time it can help to...Read More
6 years post op

6 years post op

Posted on by Louise
I've been meaning to write this post since July because on 29th July 2016, I was 6 YEARS post my scoliosis surgery. I really can't believe that it has been six whole years, it really doesn't feel like it.. time goes way too fast!!Anyways, I thought I would write a quick update on how I'm feeling 6 years on, as it may interest those waiting for surgery or in the early stages of recovery. Generally, six years on, my back...Read More
5 #SpinalFusionProblems

5 #SpinalFusionProblems

Posted on by Louise
Don't get me wrong, I'm 100% glad that I had scoliosis surgery and now, six years on, I'm definitely better off than I was before. However, if you've had scoliosis surgery (and have a long fusion like me) you may be able to identify with some of these 5 awkward #spinalfusionproblems... 1. Pulling a muscle trying to paint your toenails (or fasten your strappy sandals!) Photo by Lum3n from Pexels It's not that I CAN'T paint my toenails or fasten my strappy sandals,...Read More

Update on me: shoulder issues

Posted on by Louise
Hello :) I thought I'd write a post to update what is going on with my back right now - I can't believe I'm nearly 6 years post opp (eeeek!) So last year I started running, which I never thought I'd be able to do following scoliosis surgery. At one stage, I was running several times a week and managed to run a 10K race after only training for about 5 weeks. After this I was hooked. It felt great...Read More

ISAD, Saturday 25th June, 2016 #scoliosisgotyourback

Posted on by Louise
Saturday 25th June marks International Scoliosis Awareness Day (ISAD)! To help raise awareness of scoliosis, the Scoliosis Association UK are running a very special campaign this year called "Got Your Back" - you can support the campaign in various exciting ways including organising fundraising, purchasing campaign merchandise or simply changing your social media profile picture to the official logo. Full details of the campaign and ways to get involved are here: http://www.sauk.org.uk/get-involved/international-scoliosis-awareness-day  Help raise awareness of scoliosis by getting involved...Read More

Scoliosis Infographic: Facts about scoliosis

Posted on by Louise
[caption id="attachment_149" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Scoliosis Infographic: Facts about Scoliosis[/caption] I thought I'd share this useful scoliosis infographic with you, which highlights some some helpful facts about scoliosis. I found it really interesting as I have myself have Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis.  Hope this helps. Please feel free to share on social media to help raise awareness of scoliosis! Louise :) X