© Getty Images

Signs of scoliosis -

Signs of scoliosis include a visibly curved spine, leaning to one side, uneven shoulders, and one shoulder or hip sticking out.

© Shutterstock

King Tutankhamun (c. 1341–c. 1323 BCE) -

The ancient Greeks are credited with being the first to identify and document scoliosis. Antiquity's most famous sufferer of the condition, however, was Egyptian—King Tutankhamun. The discovery in his tomb of a U-shaped headrest, probably designed to keep the young monarch's head and spine in a straight line, plus the results of a CAT scan of his mummified remains, which revealed he had severe kyphoscoliosis, an abnormal curvature of the spine, all point to evidence that the teenager was stricken with the deformity—and also quite likely inbred.

© Getty Images

King Richard III (1452–1485) -

One compelling aspect of Shakespeare's 'Richard III' is his deformity. And indeed after the discovery of the remains of England's last Plantagenet king in 2012, his skeleton revealed the monarch suffered from severe scoliosis of the spine, which made one shoulder higher than the other.

© Getty Images

Douglas MacArthur (1880–1964) -

Douglas MacArthur, one of the most celebrated American generals of the Second World War, battled idiopathic scoliosis without bracing or surgery.

© Getty Images

Elizabeth Taylor (1932–2011) -

Elizabeth Taylor was born with congenital scoliosis and was plagued with back pain all her life. In October 2004, she underwent spinal surgery to repair seven compression fractures in her spine.

© Getty Images

Usain Bolt -

Remarkably, the world's fastest man was born with scoliosis. Usain Bolt's condition started in his legs—one being 1.27 cm (0.5 in) longer in length than the other—and went up to his spine.

© Getty Images

Kurt Cobain (1967–1994) -

Front man with legendary 90's grunge band Nirvana, Kurt Cobain was diagnosed with scoliosis in junior high school. The musician later complained that the weight of his guitar exacerbated the discomfort. "I'm always in pain, and that adds to the anger in our music," he once admitted in an interview.

© Getty Images

Liza Minnelli -

Liza Minnelli has mentioned on several occasions during interviews that her scoliosis forced her to move on stage in ways that didn't affect her breathing or cause her pain.

© Getty Images

Isabella Rossellini -

Italian-American actress Isabella Rossellini was just 12 years old when she was diagnosed with scoliosis. She underwent surgery that left her mobility restricted for nearly two years.

© Getty Images

Mila Kunis - Scoliosis caused a significant deviation of Mila Kunis' spine, resulting in a pronounced asymmetry of her torso. The actress has also struggled with chronic iritis that led to temporary blindness in one eye.

© Getty Images

John Lydon -

John Lydon, who later became known as Johnny Rotten, front man with notorious British punk band The Sex Pistols, endured scoliosis to the point where his back developed a hunch that kept him bent forward.

© Getty Images

Princess Eugenie -

Speaking to the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital Trust, Princess Eugenie, the younger daughter of Prince Andrew, Duke of York and Sarah, Duchess of York, remembers as a youngster being "diagnosed with scoliosis and told that I would need corrective surgery. This was, of course, a scary prospect for a 12-year-old; I can still vividly remember how nervous I felt in the days and weeks before the operation."

© Getty Images

Daryl Hannah -

As an adult, Daryl Hannah famously opened up about her autism, diagnosed when she was a child. What's not so well known is that the actress also suffered from mild scoliosis.

© Getty Images

Yo-Yo Ma -

French-born American cellist Yo-Yo Ma was diagnosed with scoliosis in his twenties and thought it would cut short his career in music. He underwent surgery and had to wear a body brace for six months, but was eventually able to resume playing, recording, and touring.

© Getty Images

Naomie Harris -

British actress Naomie Harris has spoken about how she had to learn to walk again as a child after surgery for scoliosis.

© Getty Images

Laura Dern -

Diagnosed with scoliosis at age nine, Laura Dern was told that she would have to live in a brace, from her neck to her hips, for the next five years. Prompted by her mom, she refused. She also turned down surgery. Fortunately, her scoliosis went from being pronounced to barely noticeable nine months later.

© Getty Images

Vanessa Williams -

Actress, singer, dancer and former Miss America Vanessa Williams was diagnosed with scoliosis during training to become a professional dancer. Her condition was so severe that she required spinal fusion surgery.

© Getty Images

Sophie Turner -

Her operation to realign her spine after being diagnosed with scoliosis left British actress Sophie Turner taller, reaching 1.73 m (5.7 ft). She had two rods and 24 bolts placed in her back.

© Getty Images

Renee Russo -

As a child, American actress Renee Russo was plagued with scoliosis and had to wear a full-torso brace.

© BrunoPress

Sarah Michelle Gellar -

Best known for her portrayal of Buffy Summers on the television series 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' (1997–2003), Sarah Michelle Gellar grew up with and still fights chronic back pain due to scoliosis. This didn't stop her becoming a competitive figure skater in her youth though, or obtaining a black belt in taekwondo.

© Getty Images

Kristin Kreuk -

Canadian actress Kristin Kreuk, of 'Smallville' fame, had to quit high school in grade 11 due to scoliosis.

© Getty Images

Chloë Sevigny -

American actress Chloë Sevigny was diagnosed with scoliosis as a child, but never received any surgical treatment for it. The impediment proved no obstacle to her early career as a model.

© Getty Images

Shailene Woodley -

Shailene Woodley, whose films include 'The Descendants' (2013), was diagnosed with scoliosis at age 15 and was put in a chest-to-hips plastic brace for two years to realign her spine. 

© Getty Images

Rebecca Romijn -

Known for her role as Mystique in the original trilogy (2000–2006) of the 'X-Men' film series, Rebecca Romijn experienced a growth spurt during her early teens that led to scoliosis and constant pain for several years. She stands an impressive 1.80 m (5ft 11in).

© Getty Images

Lourdes Leon -

Madonna's daughter Lourdes Leon has previously worn a back brace to treat her scoliosis.

© Getty Images

Maritza Correia -

Maritza Correia, a former Olympic swimmer from Puerto Rico who represented the United States, originally took to the water as treatment for scoliosis. Correia was the first female African-American swimmer for the US to win an Olympic medal.

© Getty Images

James Blake -

Former American professional tennis player James Black was diagnosed with scoliosis at age 13 and for five years was forced to wear a full-length back brace for 18 hours a day.

© Getty Images

Michael McCary -

Michael McCary (second left), formally of Boyz II Men, had to leave the group in 2003 due to health issues attributed to scoliosis. He never fully opened up about being diagnosed with the condition to his bandmates.

© Getty Images

Catherine Oxenberg -

Best known for her role as Amanda Carrington on the prime time soap opera 'Dynasty' (1981–1989), Catherine Oxenberg suffers from minor scoliosis in her upper back and undergoes regular chiropractic work for physical and emotional relief.

See also: Celebrity kids with the most impeccable style

© Getty Images