Are scoliosis braces noticeable?
Sometimes when you have scoliosis, it can feel like it’s taking over your whole life. Especially when you are doing one of the tried and true methods for therapy – scoliosis bracing. A scoliosis brace is an adjustment that takes some getting used to. Not only can it be a tight fit, it can get hot and also make you feel like you can’t eat quite as much. Despite these discomforts, what is it that every scoliosis fighter is worried about? Whether or not their brace is noticeable and fashion tips for making their brace beautiful so it goes with their wardrobe!
Bracing presents quite a few dilemmas. Is my brace noticeable? Can I still wear tight clothes? Will I be too hot in my favorite outfit? Can I accessorize my brace? How can I still fit in? There are a lot of solutions to the scoliosis bracing fashion conundrum and this post will give you a quick outline of them all!
First of all, there are many ways to dress in your brace! At Scoliosis Care CentersTM we have girls wearing their braces over dresses, under sweaters, with tanks tops, without tank tops, and sometimes on top of it all. What is most important is being comfortable. When it comes to heat, a great solution to bracing is wearing a nice breathable tank top under the brace that will help wick away the moisture that comes with the summer. The seamless and comfortable tanks from Hope’s Closet were designed by the mother of a scoliosis fighter who struggled to find a good fit for fashion with her own brace! You can check out their tanks and read Hope’s story by clicking here.
With the Silicon Valley BracesTM that we use here at Scoliosis Care CentersTM by Janzen and Janzen Chiropractic, there is a specific design that allows for air passage through the brace. This lets you breathe easy and stay cool; not to mention the plastic used for a Silicon Valley BraceTM is made to withstand a dip in the pool or the ocean for a swim!
Now we’re down to the fashion tips that will save you when you are out shopping for a new look! The following tips are from all of our scoliosis fighters who have been bracing for a few months to a few years!
Scoliosis Bracing Fashion Tips
Are scoliosis braces noticeable? They can be, or they can be dressed up! Some people may not care if their brace is noticeable and will make their brace even bolder and brighter to steal the show and draw attention! Others may prefer to accessorize more and dress up their brace; helping to make it less noticeable. Whether you want to go bold, cover up the brace, or somewhere in between, rest assured there are plenty of ways to do so and make your brace as fashionable as anything else in your wardrobe!
- LAYERS – want to cover up your brace with a fashionable and fun look? Remember how awesome a summery look can be with a light cardigan or a patterned kimono!
- ACCESSORIZE – a bright fashionable scarf or a cute belt can draw the eye to your sense of fashion rather than your scoliosis brace
- DECORATE – a lot of our scoliosis fighters have decorated their brace to be a bold piece of their wardrobe with paint, stickers or a colorful design
- BE BOLD – adding a half jacket or a vest is a type of layering that can show off your style and cover up your brace
One of our patients, Delaney has been wearing a Scoliosis Care CentersTM Silicon Valley BraceTM for almost a year now. Are scoliosis braces noticeable? Sure they are sometimes; but you can dress them up and rock them in a variety of ways! She gave some great advice for patients who are just starting out with their brace and how to not care about what kind of limits you might have on your wardrobe.
“I usually wear sweatshirts (mainly because it’s cold in the Pacific Northwest) or bigger shirts so it’s not so obvious. How I don’t care is by just accepting that the brace (and other exercises) is helping me. Some kids don’t have the exposure to treatment like this. I wish they could have this treatment. Be thankful!”
Motivation for Wearing Your Scoliosis Brace
To help our scoliosis fighters, we have HiggyBears here in our office for any brace wearer to bring home as a friend and inspiration! The bears don’t only look cute, they remind all our scoliosis fighters that they aren’t alone in the fight and wearing the brace is important!
You can check out the cute miniature braces and bears that come from HiggyBears as well as their braces for American Girl dolls by clicking here!
Everyone can find a way to embrace the brace, you just have to find what works for you!
Have your own brace wearing tips? Share your ideas with us via Instagram, Twitter or Facebook! Tag us in your photos or send them to us in a DM and we will be sure to feature them on our own social media posts and even on the website!