17: Come to BioniCon: A New Event for the Scoliosis Community

Living with scoliosis or spinal fusion can sometimes feel isolating—especially when you grow up without knowing anyone else who shares your experience. In this episode, Dr. Beth and Dr. Laura talk about the importance of finding your community living with scoliosis and spinal fusion.

They reflect on their own journeys, including how neither of them knew many people with scoliosis growing up and how social media eventually helped them connect with others who truly understood their experiences. They also discuss how sharing stories, comparing experiences, and learning from others can be incredibly validating and healing.

The conversation highlights the growing scoliosis community both online and in person—including local meetups and the upcoming BioniCon, a first-of-its-kind conference designed specifically for adults with scoliosis and spinal fusion. Learn more about the Bionic Project and its founder, Meredith Montana. 

If you’ve ever felt like you’re navigating scoliosis alone, this episode is a reminder that there is a community out there—and that connection can make a powerful difference.

Topics in This Episode

• Why scoliosis can feel isolating—especially at the time of diagnosis
• Growing up without knowing others with scoliosis
• How social media helped build a global scoliosis community
• The value of sharing experiences with others who “get it”
• In-person meetups and events like Spine & Wine
• The healing power of community connection
• An introduction to BioniCon, a new conference for adults with scoliosis and spinal fusion
• What attendees can expect at the event (education, movement sessions, and community activities)

BioniCon – April 17–19 | Philadelphia, PA

Tickets available until March 31st!!!

BioniCon is a new conference created for adults living with scoliosis and spinal fusion. The event will include:

• Educational talks from scoliosis professionals and advocates
• Movement sessions including yoga, Pilates, and strength training
• Community activities and social events
• Opportunities to connect with others who share similar experiences

Dr. Beth will be presenting on getting started with strength training for scoliosis and spinal fusion, and Dr. Laura will be presenting on the connection between scoliosis and the pelvic floor, along with a session on pregnancy with scoliosis and spinal fusion.

Connect With Us

If you’re planning to attend BioniCon, send us an email at scolipodcast@gmail.com —we’d love to meet you in person!

Finally, don't forget to subscribe to ScoliPod on your favorite pod catcher so you never miss an episode!

• Listen on Apple Podcasts
• Listen on Spotify

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:00

Welcome to Scolypod, the show that's rewriting the rules about living with a curved spine. I'm Dr. Beth Taranova, and I'm Dr. Laura Glazebrook.

SPEAKER_00 0:09

As experts in the field of scoliosis and scoliosis superheroes ourselves, we're bringing you research-backed solutions, expert interviews, and real success stories that prove one thing. You are more than your scoliosis diagnosis.

SPEAKER_01 0:26

Together, we will dispel the myths and mixed information, sharing helpful insights and tips based on the most current research and knowledge of scoliosis care. If you have scoliosis, spinal fusion, or support someone who does, whether as a movement pro, family member, or anatomy enthusiast, get ready to transform your perspective on living with scoliosis. Now let's dive into today's episode. Hello, welcome to another episode of Scolopod. I'm Dr.

SPEAKER_00 1:00

Laura and I'm Dr. Beth.

SPEAKER_01 1:03

And today we are going to talk about the importance of finding and building your scoliosis spinal fusion community. So if you've been listening for a while, maybe you've heard our stories. And I feel like the stories that we both have are probably pretty typical for most people who live with scoliosis. So when I think of my own journey with scoliosis, I really didn't know anyone that, or at least I was not familiar with anyone who had had scoliosis, much less a spinal fusion, until I was pretty much an adult. How about you, Dr. Beth?

SPEAKER_00 1:50

Yeah, I remember the only person I remember being introduced to was actually one of my teammates on my weight lifting team. When I was a teenager, she had had a spinal fusion. Um I think it was for scoliosis. Um, but that was the only person I had met who had ever was another person that had scoliosis. I mean, I didn't even really understand what scoliosis was, even though I was diagnosed. It wasn't really explained to me. So I didn't know to seek out people or to, you know, what to look for or how to meet other people who had scoliosis. And I think part of that too is we grew up in the times, the old times before social media, the stone ages.

SPEAKER_01 2:42

I mean, you're not wrong. Um I mean, truly, I I agree. And I do think that in a lot of ways the world has changed for the better, especially when we're thinking about people looking for community. Really, the internet and you know, social media for all of its, you know, it's there's great parts to social media, there's not great parts to social media. But what it is really good at is it is a way to connect with people around the world that also share your experience, which is pretty powerful.

SPEAKER_00 3:16

Yes, I think I really started building out more of my scoliosis community, my scoliosis network when I became more present on social media. That was when I was really able to meet other people who were also diagnosed, to chat a little more with people about like what we were experiencing, and to realize it wasn't only me that had scoliosis. I mean, I don't even there wasn't even necessarily someone in my family who had it. I mean, I I think probably my grandma on both sides had some sort of spinal condition, especially as they aged, but um, there wasn't like another cousin or relative that had scoliosis. And I can't even think of a classmate that I knew necessarily had it either. So yeah, it was very much like that it wasn't really until I started using social media that I was able to connect with more people that had scoliosis.

SPEAKER_01 4:17

Same. I I have an uncle who also has a very similar scoliosis to mine, like looks very similar, same magnitude, but I certainly didn't know anyone my age and specifically like no one that had the severity or the experience that I had. And I also think it's important a lot of people now doing what we do. I work with people in person and virtually, and a lot of people have a lot of negative experiences around when they're diagnosed, feeling like they did something wrong or feeling like there's something wrong with them. And I feel like for a lot of people, that first diagnosis itself can feel very isolating. It can feel, it can feel just heavy. And that is really hard to deal with on your own.

SPEAKER_00 5:10

Yes, definitely. Um I yeah, when I was diagnosed, I really didn't understand what was going on at all. Um, you know, I wasn't braced, I was just kind of like my, you know, curve was kind of like ignore it and move on. That was the recommendation. But I think if I had been able to be introduced to other people, I think it would have helped me just to understand more of some of the things I was experiencing and how they were related to my curve because I didn't really understand that. I mean, it became very apparent to me when I started lifting because I would compare myself to my teammates, and I'm like, why are my teammates able to do things more easily? Or, you know, they don't have this leaning kind of thing that I do, and their hip doesn't stick out in the way that mine does. And it's interesting because now that I look back on it, I do remember my teammate who had had a spinal fusion, like she did have issues keeping the bar straight, like she would lean towards one side, and now I understand why that is um many, many years later. But yeah, I think finding people it well, it just wasn't a thing that we had access to until now.

SPEAKER_01 6:23

Until now. I I think those of us, it's it's funny. People who are as I'm most active on Instagram. I personally don't, I know that um, Dr. Beth, you you have some Facebook groups that you manage. For me, um, I it was right around the pandemic time when I started becoming a lot more active on social media. And I think honestly, your when I started working with you, when I started to get plugged in more, that's when I started to realize hey, there's a lot of us, and we share a lot of the same experiences. We have similarities in our stories, and we've built, I think, this lovely little community of people that can understand where we've been and and what we go through. And that I feel like has been a life changer for me in just feeling seen and feeling understood in something that most people in my life don't understand.

SPEAKER_00 7:25

Right. And having some of those shared experiences that you didn't even realize were shared experiences, those quirky things that you're like, well, why does my body do this? And then you meet another person with scoliosis and they're like, Oh, yeah, my body does the same. And it just makes it so much easier to be able to have that person to kind of bounce ideas off of or share experiences with. Um, this really became more of a thing more recently because I started, I know you've had uh Meredith Montana from the Bionic Project that we you've also coordinated some in-person community events with her. We've had some here in New York City and just a really nice opportunity for people to be able to interact with each other and share those experiences in person and to meet other people who are in the community, even if they're not as active on social media or maybe are just like getting into the space. So those have been a really nice, uh, a nice introduction for people.

SPEAKER_01 8:35

Yeah, absolutely. When uh my favorite one was when I was in New York City this last um summer for the Columbia presentation or for the Columbia Symposium, when we did sort of a joint uh what spines and wines, what it's called. Yes, spine and wine. Spine and wine, yes, yes. Um, I was thinking back talk, but no, that's that's a different project of hers. I thought it was really amazing. We had such a great turnout. We, my favorite part aside from just meeting all these other people, is we got in this big group and we all took a couple of minutes and shared a little piece of our story. And I just was so filled up by knowing that there were other people, just feeling connected to a group of complete strangers in one sense, but that understanding that really we have a lot of similarities, and it was it like healed this young part of me that I didn't know needed to be healed. The part of me that just was carrying this big surgery and you know, feeling some kind of way every time I went to a doctor's office. It was just so nice to hear that there were other people that could understand that.

SPEAKER_00 9:54

Yes, that it's just such a great experience to be able to share that with others, or even, you know, to be like, hey, you know, I'm considering surgery. What would you recommend for me? You know, there were a few people who were on the fence about, you know, what how they wanted to move forward with their scoliosis, whether they what they wanted to do next. And it was nice to have people on all sides of the spectrum, people who have scoliosis, people who have gone through a spinal fusion surgery, people who have gone through multiple spinal fusion surgeries and had different experiences. So being able to to share that in a live group is really was really great.

SPEAKER_01 10:34

It really was. And one of the things we wanted to mention is a really exciting opportunity that's coming up in just over a month. Oh my goodness, just over a month.

SPEAKER_00 10:47

Yes, I think probably when this around when this podcast comes out, we'll be a month away from Bionicon.

SPEAKER_01 10:55

Yes. So I love um in case you haven't heard, um, there's a lot of like conferences or like whatever Congress congregations that have con in the title. So some of the famous ones are like Comic-Con and um things like that. So in the Pelvic space, I'm we mentioned it on a pre um recent podcast, Pelvicon, but Meredith has founded Bionicon, of um, of course, her handle being the Bionic Project. But it is this, it is the first of its kind that I'm aware of um meeting of people with scoliosis and spinal fusion for or by people with scoliosis or spinal fusion. And she has quite, so you and I will both be there presenting, and she is creating quite, I don't think I even understand everything that is that is going to be involved. But Dr. Beth, can you talk a little bit about what you will be providing?

SPEAKER_00 11:57

Yes. So Strength and Spine will be an exhibitor at Bionicon. So you are welcome to come to our table, come say hi, come learn more about what we do, come meet me, I'll be there live. Um, and then I'm going to give a presentation about starting to strength train with scoliosis and spinal fusion. I know that many people are interested in doing that, but maybe don't know where to start or you know how to how to begin or how to do it safely. So I'll be giving a presentation on that as well. I think the weekend is going to be a mix of educational um content where there will be classes that you can go to to learn about different things. I know I think there's gonna be some yoga, some Pilates, some um strength training. And then also just some more community type things where you can just get to know other people with scoliosis. I know there's gonna be a welcome reception. There's going to be um, there's going to be an event of doing some painting and different, like looking at like different things with that um related to our curves and painting our curves in a more um positive light. So I I'm really excited for for all of that. And we would really love to see more people there. I, you know, there has been conferences for teens with scoliosis, teens and kids, but this is the first one really tailored to adults. And I think adults also need a community um for their scoliosis as well.

SPEAKER_01 13:45

Yeah, for sure. Um, I will be, I have two separate things that I'll be presenting on on the educational end. Um, she's asked me to talk about the scoliosis and pelvic floor, of which we did a quick um series of a couple of episodes, three episodes regarding the pelvic floor. I also have a blog series, but she's asked me to just present a little bit about that so people can understand the connection. And then there will also be a small breakout session for anyone who's interested in learning more about pregnancy with scoliosis and spinal fusion. And that's an area where I feel like certainly when I was going through it, I did not have any resources, which is why I sort of hyper um specialized the way that I did. But I know I have been following, you know, Meredith actually is she's originally from Atlanta. So she and I actually became friends a while ago. We've met up a couple of times, and I really just love her heart for finding, creating this community for everyone, regardless of if they've had spinal fusion or have scoliosis, how however old they are. And I really think it's going to be such a fun, um, fulfilling weekend. Um, it is going to be April 17th through the 19th. Correct.

SPEAKER_00 15:04

In uh Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. There is there are still tickets and there are still, as as of recording right now, some hotel rooms available. I believe there's a special block for this event. So yeah, I mean, even if you can just make for part of it, I think it's it's going to be really great, a really great time to be able to share with others. And like you said, a healing, a healing experience for many people. Um, I think it's worth the trip if you can make it. And we would love to see you there.

SPEAKER_01 15:44

Yeah, it's gonna be so fun. I know that there are a few of you who are listening in who are going to be there, and we are so excited to see you. And I think it's it's just going to be, we're hoping that this is going to be a more regular event. This is sort of the inaugural, the first time this is coming together. But I really think that it is kind of like you said, Dr. Beth. I think it's it's going to be a great mix of some good learning opportunities and also just a chance to connect with other people and share some of these lived experiences of the quirky things we experience living with a curvy or fused spine.

SPEAKER_00 16:21

Yes. So I'm I'm I'm super excited. So we'll leave all the information in the description for this episode where you can buy tickets, some more information about um the bionic project. We'll leave all the links in the description. But I really hope that we'll see some of you there. And of course, um, I'm like, I don't know why I'm like thinking we can we're like recording on Instagram. I'm like, leave us a comment if you're gonna come. That's gonna work for the podcast.

SPEAKER_01 16:54

You can email us. Email us.

SPEAKER_00 16:56

Yeah, shoot us an email if you're coming. So then we can know to look out for you and come say hi to us in person for sure.

SPEAKER_01 17:03

Also, I'm gonna be bringing some of my stickers. And um, I so my husband has a 3D printer and he printed me like a little spine clip, and I'm gonna see if he can print me at least one other one that I can bring as like a giveaway or something.

SPEAKER_00 17:19

Yeah, that'll be fun. That'll be really fun. Yeah, I don't know what we're doing for for that yet. We have to think about our our table and and all of that. I guess I should do that soon. We're almost a month away.

SPEAKER_01 17:33

I know it's it's okay. So, as someone who um anyone listening, I I actually have worked with Dr. Beth in Strength and Spine for a really long time. What she came to Atlanta to speak to um within my clinic, we had like a sort of a similar um setup of training people how to lift weights that had maybe never been introduced to weights. So we had people sign up of all ages, of all curve types, all severities. And she does a really great job of just showing the movements and giving little tips here and there. So if you're able to come, and if strength training has been something that you just haven't felt comfortable with, this is an amazing opportunity to get just a little bit of hands-on, a little bit of specialized um guidance. And it really is powerful and can help you feel so much more confident. So highly recommend um if that's something that you are needing.

SPEAKER_00 18:31

Yes, for sure. Please, please do join us. And of course, if you are considering getting pregnant um or you know, want to know more about the pelvic floor, I think you should also try to get to Laura's events. I mean, if that's really her big specialty. Um, and and I think, like you said, having the resources, having the education and knowing what to expect is so important if you're considering that.

SPEAKER_01 19:01

Yes. Well, we really hope to see you there. And let us know, send us an email if you're coming, because I certainly would love to give you a hug and take a picture. And um yeah. So thank you so much for tuning into this episode of Skolypod and hopefully see you at Bionicon.