The Effectiveness of the Schroth Best Practice Program and Chêneau-Type Brace Treatment in Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis: Long-Term Follow-Up Evaluation Results

Abstract

Background: Although the number of studies showing the efficacy of conservative treatment in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis has increased, studies with long-term follow-up are very limited. The aim of this study was to present the long-term effects of a conservative management method including exercise and brace in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis patients. Methods: This retrospective cohort study included patients with idiopathic scoliosis who presented at our department and were followed up for at least 2 years after completing the treatment. The main outcome measurements were the Cobb angle and angle of trunk rotation (ATR). Results: The cohort participants were 90.4% female, with a mean age of 11 years and the maximum Cobb angle was mean 32.1°. The mean post-treatment follow-up period was 27.8 months (range 24–71 months). The improvements after treatment in mean maximum Cobb angle (p < 0.001) and ATR (p = 0.001) were statistically significant. At the end of treatment, the maximum Cobb angle was improved in 88.1% of the patients and worsened in 11.9% compared to baseline. In the long-term follow-up evaluations, 83.3% of the curvatures remained stable. Conclusions: The results of this study showed that moderate idiopathic scoliosis in growing adolescents can be successfully halted with appropriate conservative treatment and that long-term improvement is largely maintained.

The Effect of Schroth Best Practice Exercises and Cheneau Brace Treatment on Perceptual and Cognitive Asymmetry in Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis

“…Evidence-based conservative treatment of scoliosis, including Schroth exercises and brace treatment, has been shown to improve the quality of life, vertebral rotation degree, Cobb angle, pain, body image, and vital capacity, and reduce the prevalence of surgery in AIS patients [26,27,[42][43][44][45]. In this study, improvement in Cobb angle was achieved with SBP exercises and brace treatment, similar to the literature [26]. However, no previous study examined the changes of SBP exercises and brace treatment on perceptual and cognitive asymmetry in the auditory system.…”

“…Conservative approaches in AIS include exercise and brace treatment. High-level evidence [26,27] shows that Schroth and Schroth Best Practice (SBP) exercises and Cheneau brace treatment effectively improve quality of life and reduce Cobb angle [28][29][30]. Although patients with AIS have asymmetry cortical levels, there is no research on how conservative treatments affect cerebellar functional organization.…”

Results of Gensingen Bracing in Patients With Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis: Retrospective Cross-Sectional Feasibility Study

“…Brace treatment and scoliosis-specific exercise methods are the most widely used, accepted, and effective treatment methods for patients with AIS [6][7][8][9][10][11]31,32]. Extensive evidence in the literature shows the effectiveness of brace treatment [15,33,34].…”