“It has been observed that there are difficulties in maintaining spinal harmony in the absence of proprioceptive information, which has an important role in achieving postural control in scoliosis,” the authors of a recent study wrote. Noting that one of the tests used to evaluate proprioceptive mechanisms is spine joint reposition (JR) sense, they investigated the effect of physiotherapy scoliosis-specific exercise (PSSE) on JR sense, and the effects of PSSE on the angle of trunk rotation (ATR), posture, and deformity perception in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS).
Twenty-nine patients with AIS (mean age 13.79 ± 1.82 years) were randomly allocated to two groups. Schroth exercises were applied to the PSSE group for eight weeks (16 sessions). The control group was placed on the waiting list.
The researchers assessed patients’ JR error, ATR, posture parameters, and deformity perception at the first session and at the end of eight weeks using a dual inclinometer, a scoliometer, the PostureScreen Mobile, the Posterior Trunk Asymmetry Index, the Anterior Trunk Asymmetry Index, and the Walter Reed Visual Assessment Scale (WRVAS).
The initial demographic characteristics were similar in both groups: Cobb (thoracal: 19.41 ± 7.03 degrees, lumbar: 20.76 ± 7.24 degrees); ATR (thoracal: 5.86 ± 3.98 degrees, lumbar: 5.66 ± 3.33 degrees); and clinical test parameters (JR, posture parameters, and WRVAS).
According to the findings, thoracal and lumbar JR error values, ATR, posture parameters, and WRVAS were significantly improved in the PSSE group. When the groups were compared, a significant difference was found in favor of PSSE except for the deformity perception.
The researchers concluded that Schroth exercises have a positive contribution for improving JR sense of the spine, vertebral rotation, and posture.
The study, “The preliminary results of physiotherapy scoliosis-specific exercises on spine joint position sense in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis: A randomized controlled trial,” was published in Prosthetics and Orthotics International.
