Scoliosis is often talked about in numbers — degrees, progression rates, surgical thresholds. But behind every curve is a person navigating real decisions, real fears, and real life.
In this conversation, Carolyn shares her journey with severe scoliosis — a journey that began in adolescence with a 34-degree curve and a “watch and wait” recommendation that eventually led to surgical scheduling. What makes her story powerful isn’t just the progression into the 80- and even 100-degree range. It’s the choices she made along the way: declining fusion when it meant losing nearly all spinal mobility, exploring bracing options from SpineCor to rigid orthoses, experimenting with traction-based care, discovering the ScoliSmart activity suit, and eventually integrating Schroth-based exercise into her daily life.
She’s also a mother of seven, which adds another layer of complexity — navigating pregnancy, postpartum instability, and the mechanical stress of caring for infants while managing a significant spinal deformity.
Carolyn’s story is not about finding a miracle cure. It’s about persistence, curiosity, trial and error, and ultimately a shift in mindset — from fighting her body to working with it. There are practical takeaways here about timing of intervention, bracing realities, pregnancy considerations, and the importance of movement-based care. But perhaps even more important is the lesson about ownership and perspective.
This is what living with severe scoliosis can look like — not perfect, not linear, but intentional.
Dave
Welcome to today’s podcast. I am here with Carolyn. Carolyn is a former patient of ours who has a pretty interesting and unique scoliosis story that I wanted to share. She agreed to be a part of our podcast, and I’m excited to welcome her on this episode.
Carolyn, if you want to introduce yourself, that’d be great.
Carolyn
I’m a mom of seven, and I’m into exercise science. I’ve been through a lot of different clinics over the years and was really impressed with the Schroth-based work you guys are doing at your clinic.
Actually, I told you I had the book, right?
Dave
The book?
Carolyn
Yes, the Schroth book. I had seen it at a chiropractic clinic when I was younger. The chiropractor there had it and was trying to learn it himself. I remember thinking, “Someday I’m going to travel to New York where they’re doing seminars so I can become a provider when I grow up.”
I didn’t know you guys were here in Utah. I was really excited and impressed to see what you’re doing.
Dave
That’s awesome. How long ago was that when you got that book? I didn’t know you had it.
Carolyn
I bought a copy after I did my own research, but I used my chiropractor’s copy at first. That was at least 11 or 12 years ago.
Dave
That’s a while ago. Wow. Did you read the whole thing?
Carolyn
Not the whole thing.
Dave
It’s kind of a tough read — pretty complex, but really interesting.
Give us an idea of where your journey with scoliosis started.
Early Diagnosis
Carolyn
Probably seventh grade. My mom noticed something was off with my shape. It had gotten noticeable enough that she could see it.
We lived about 45 minutes out of town, but she took me to a local chiropractor. We didn’t really know what we were dealing with. I was diagnosed with scoliosis and was just getting generic care.
They measured a 34-degree curve when I was in seventh grade. Then we went to a specialist who recommended “watch and wait.” Surgery was mentioned from the very beginning, and every six months we would go back for monitoring.
Dave
Watching and waiting is definitely my least favorite way of treating scoliosis.
Carolyn
Yeah.
Dave
So you were 34 degrees at that point. Where did it go from there?
Curve Progression & Surgery Recommendation
Carolyn
We put all of our trust in him as a specialist. We didn’t understand that we needed to step out of that “watching” approach.
I was growing fast. It went into the high 40s, then 56 degrees. At each point, he still said not to do anything.
Later, we realized that once it went past 56 and into the 60s, he said, “Alright, we’re going to schedule surgery.” We didn’t understand that surgery had likely been the plan from the beginning.
My parents consulted someone else and found out the hospital was nonprofit but largely funded by surgeries. That was eye-opening.
Dave
That’s crazy. Watching that much progression and wondering what we were waiting for.
So you didn’t end up having surgery?
Avoiding Surgery
Carolyn
No. Because of my curve pattern, they would have needed to fuse from very high up to very low down. There would have been no bending at all. That was terrifying.
It wasn’t worth losing all mobility. So instead, we started talking to other providers and looking at conservative options.
Conservative Treatments
Dave
You’ve done a lot. What treatments have you tried?
Carolyn
SpineCor — that’s a soft brace. I’ve also tried a hard brace. The hard brace was extremely uncomfortable and unrealistic to wear in real life.
SpineCor was excellent. It relieved pain, but I feel like we started it too late — around age 16. I think it would have been more effective earlier.
We also did the CLEAR method in Colorado. They had traction chairs, traction plates, and balance boards — a lot of mechanical work.
Bracing Experiences
Dave
Tell me more about SpineCor.
Carolyn
I loved it. It didn’t restrict breathing like hard braces do. But I wish I’d started it earlier in adolescence.
Dave
Did you try it as an adult?
Carolyn
No, I don’t fit it anymore.
Dave
What about other bracing?
Carolyn
The hard brace I tried was so uncomfortable and unwearable with regular clothes. It looked fine in the doctor’s office, but real life was different — especially as a teenager.
Then I found the ScoliSmart activity suit.
ScoliSmart Activity Suit
Dave
Tell me about that.
Carolyn
That suit gave me the most relief of anything I’ve ever tried. I was an adult when I used it, and I wish I had found it as a teen.
It’s wearable. It doesn’t restrict breathing. It’s a system of straps that helps hold your body in a corrected position without rigidly bracing you.
For me, it was like a saving suit.
Dave
And you’ve combined that with Schroth exercises?
Carolyn
Yes. That’s when it works best. If I combine it with Schroth movements — especially arm lifts — it enhances the corrective effect of the suit.
Doing Schroth alone doesn’t do much for me. Doing it with the suit is amazing.
Pregnancy & Postpartum
Dave
You have seven kids. How did scoliosis affect you during pregnancy?
Carolyn
Not well. The curve worsened two to four degrees with each pregnancy. The postpartum window was the hardest.
Relaxin and pregnancy hormones made everything unstable. That’s when my curve worsened the most and when I had the least stability. Holding babies and car seats was incredibly difficult.
The ScoliSmart suit helped me function and stay upright.
Dave
It sounds like you lost stability.
Carolyn
Completely.
Dave
So the suit filled that gap until your body could regain stability.
Carolyn
Exactly. External support.
Current Curve Status
Dave
Do you know your curve measurement now?
Carolyn
Last I remember, it was around 87 degrees. It has been over 100 at times. I stopped measuring because it was discouraging.
The only time I’ve ever seen it decrease was with the ScoliSmart program. I once saw about a 15-degree reduction during an intensive program. Then pregnancy would undo progress, and I’d work to regain it.
Advice for Others
Dave
What advice would you give someone just starting this journey?
Carolyn
Don’t default to surgery. Start with exercise-based approaches that build internal support — not just traction or passive adjustments.
Movement-based methods are key. We’re not trees anchored to the ground. We move.
Pregnancy Advice
Dave
What would you say to someone with a significant curve wondering about pregnancy?
Carolyn
I’m not a doctor — just speaking from experience.
I would consider shortening the breastfeeding window. Breastfeeding keeps relaxin elevated longer, and that was when my instability was worst.
And absolutely use a car seat stroller instead of carrying car seats. Carrying a car seat is like a weighted farmer’s carry — very hard on the spine.
Mindset Shift
Dave
Any final thoughts?
Carolyn
The biggest change for me was mindset.
For years, I approached scoliosis like something I needed to fight. But fighting it made my muscles tense — especially with breathing work. I learned in a kinesiology class that fight-or-flight responses tighten stabilizing muscles.
Once I stopped fighting and started “befriending” the curve — seeing it as my body trying to stabilize itself — things changed.
These are my bones. My body was doing its best. When I approached it with gratitude instead of hostility, I saw more progress.
Dave
If you’re fighting scoliosis, you’re fighting yourself.
Carolyn
Exactly.
Dave
Carolyn, I’ve learned a lot from this episode. I really appreciate you sharing your story. I think people are going to get a lot out of this.
Carolyn
Thank you.
If there’s one theme that stands out in Carolyn’s story, it’s this: scoliosis management is rarely a single decision. It’s a long game.
Curves can progress. Life events — especially pregnancy — can introduce instability. Interventions that work at one stage may not be enough at another. And yet, meaningful function is still possible, even with a large curve.
Her experience reinforces a few key principles:
- Early intervention matters.
- Movement-based strategies are foundational.
- External support can be helpful when internal stability isn’t enough.
- Bracing is only effective if it’s wearable in real life.
- Mindset changes physiology more than we often realize.
Perhaps the most powerful shift Carolyn described wasn’t mechanical — it was psychological. When she stopped treating her spine like an enemy and began viewing it as a body trying its best to stabilize under difficult conditions, her approach softened. Muscles relaxed. Breathing improved. Effort became more productive.
Fighting scoliosis often means fighting the body itself. Working with it — patiently, strategically, consistently — creates a very different trajectory.
Severe scoliosis presents real challenges. But as Carolyn’s story shows, it doesn’t remove agency. There are options. There are tools. There are ways to adapt. And sometimes, the most important progress begins not with a brace or an exercise — but with a shift in how the curve is understood.
