BackgroundProgressive idiopathic scoliosis can negatively influence the development and functioning of 2-3% of adolescents, with health consequences and economic costs, placing the disease in the centre of interest of the developmental medicine. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of Chêneau brace in the management of idiopathic scoliosis.MethodsA prospective observational study according to SOSORT and SRS recommendations comprised 79 patients (58 girls and 21 boys) with progressive idiopathic scoliosis, treated with Chêneau brace and physiotherapy, with initial Cobb angle between 20 and 45 degrees, no previous brace treatment, Risser 4 or more at the final evaluation and minimum one year follow-up after weaning the brace. Achieving 50° of Cobb angle was considered surgical recommendation.ResultsAt follow-up 20 patients (25.3%) improved, 18 patients (22.8%) were stable, 31 patients (39.2%) progressed below 50 degrees and 10 patients (12.7%) progressed beyond 50 degrees (2 of these 10 patients progressed beyond 60 degrees). Progression concerned the younger and less skeletally mature patients.ConclusionConservative treatment with Chêneau orthosis and physiotherapy was effective in halting scoliosis progression in 48.1% of patients. The results of this study suggest that bracing is effective in reducing the incidence of surgery in comparison with natural history.

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Idiopathic scoliosis (IS), despite multidirectional therapy, involves a significant impairment of the quality of life of the patients. It is caused by pain syndromes frequently accompanying IS, the etiology of which has not been entirely discovered. The present research on environmental factors predisposing to pain syndromes in girls with IS involved analysis of 54 girls under ambulatory care, aged 14-17 (on average 15.3-years-old ±0.99). The patients' natural environment was analysed, including time spent in a sedentary position during the day, sleeping time, time spent on physical activity during the week, regularity of meals consumed, as well as the quantitative composition of the diet. The research also concerned the location and characteristics of ailment reported, as well as pain intensity on the Numerical Rating Scale (NRS).

BackgroundScreening tests play a significant role in rapid and reliable assessment of normal individual development in the entire population of children and adolescents. Body posture screening tests carried out at schools reveal that 50-60% of children and adolescents demonstrate body posture abnormalities, with 10% of this group at risk for progressive spinal deformities. This necessitates the search for effective and economically feasible forms of screening diagnosis. The aim of this study was to assess the reliability of clinical evaluation of body posture compared to objective assessment with the Zebris CMS-10 system (Zebris Medical GmbH).MethodsThe study enrolled 13-15-year-old pupils attending a junior secondary school (mean age 14.2 years). The study group consisted of 138 participants, including 71 girls and 67 boys, who underwent a clinical evaluation of the body posture and an examination with the Zebris CMS 10 system.ResultsStatistically significant discrepancies between the clinical and objective evaluation were noted with regard to lumbar lordosis in boys (n = 67) and thoracic kyphosis in girls (n = 71). No statistically significant differences in both groups were noted for pelvic rotation and trunk position in the frontal plane.Conclusions1. The finding of significant discrepancies between the results of assessment in the sagittal plane obtained in the clinical examination and Zebris CMS-10-based assessment suggests that clinical evaluation should be used to provide a general estimation of accentuation or reduction of spinal curvatures in the sagittal plane.2. The clinical evaluation of posture is reliable with regard to assessment in the frontal plane.3. The Zebris CMS-10 system makes the clinical examination significantly more objective with regard to assessment of the physiological curvatures and may be used to make screening tests more objective with regard to detecting postural defects.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/1471-2431-14-221) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

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