Scoliosis is a sideways curvature of the spine. Severe scoliosis can be painful and disabling.

Scoliosis affects roughly four million people in the United States, according to the National Scoliosis Foundation. The deformity accounts for 48 percent of musculoskeletal deformity health care visits.

Senior Julianna Benz has been living with it since her freshman year of high school.

“I walked into my first day of school with a big back brace.” said Julianna.

It all began when Julianna was getting a school physical for cheerleading. They measured her spine and they saw that there was noticeable curve.

“I went to an orthopedic doctor, a surgeon and a neurologist for my nerves- that is when they put me in a brace”. Said Julianna.

She then found out that it wasn’t just a curve. There was also disk sliding, fractured vertebrates and even bulging disks.

“What worsened my scoliosis was the fact that I was on 3 competitive cheerleading teams” said Benz.

It has been very hard for her living with scoliosis all these years. It’s been hard sleeping at night and sometimes even doing the very simplest everyday tasks. She has a custom body brace to help her walk and perform her normal activities.

“It makes me really afraid because I sometimes wake up not being sure if I am going to be able to feel my legs that day.” said Benz.

After the diagnosis of scoliosis, Julianna’s life has never been the same. Now she has fractures and other chronic conditions because of it.

“Having a chronic condition in general can be very tiring but the most painful part is definitely my fractures throughout my spine.” said Benz.

Every day she still works through the pain, however she has to take medicines and steroids to reduce inflammation and help her walk. By now she is used to the pain and just goes through it.

“My scoliosis will never be fully healed. “said Benz. “However one day I will get a whole spinal fusion”.