Objective: Schroth-based physiotherapeutic scoliosis-specific exercises (PSSE) are widely used for the conservative management of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS).However, whether treatment responses differ according to skeletal maturity remains unclear.Therefore, this study aims to compare the effects of Schroth-based PSSE according to skeletal maturity in adolescents with AIS.Design: Assessor-blinded prospective pre-post stratified comparative study.Methods: Adolescents with AIS were recruited from a Seoul-based outpatient clinic and included if they had a Cobb angle 15 and an angle of trunk rotation (ATR) 5.Participants were stratified by skeletal maturity into a Risser 0-2 group and a Risser 3-5 group.All participants completed a 6-month Schroth-based exercise program consisting of three 60-minute sessions per week, including one supervised clinic session and two home-based sessions.Outcomes included Cobb angle, ATR, and the Trunk Appearance Perception Scale (TAPS), assessed at baseline and after intervention.Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) using baseline values as covariates compared post-intervention outcomes.Results: A total of 17 participants were finally analyzed (Risser 0-2, n8; Risser 3-5, n9).The Risser 0-2 group showed significant improvements in Cobb angle, ATR, and TAPS (all p0.05).In the Risser 3-5 group, ATR and TAPS improved significantly, whereas Cobb angle did not.ANCOVA indicated greater improvements in Cobb angle and ATR in the Risser 0-2 group.Conclusions: Schroth-based PSSE showed greater improvements in adolescents with lower skeletal maturity, suggesting remaining growth potential may influence treatment outcomes.
Lee et al. (Mon,) studied this question.