Supervised physiotherapeutic scoliosis-specific exercises provide limited additional benefit at 24 months in braced adolescents with idiopathic scoliosis: a randomized trial.
Xiaohui Zhang, Meihua Liang, Yingzi Huang et al.
✦ AI-curated · Sources linked
In 30 seconds
This randomized trial compared supervised Schroth-based physiotherapeutic scoliosis-specific exercises (PSSE) with self-directed general exercise in adolescents with idiopathic scoliosis receiving brace treatment. At 24 months, supervised PSSE produced a greater reduction in major Cobb angle, with an adjusted between-group difference of -3.23° (95% CI -3.51 to -2.96; p < 0.001), but this was below the prespecified 5° minimal clinically important difference. Clinically meaningful radiological status and quality of life did not differ between groups.
Key findings
- The adjusted between-group difference in major Cobb angle at 24 months was -3.23° (95% CI -3.51 to -2.96; p < 0.001), below the 5° MCID.
- In the intention-to-treat analysis, the odds ratio for radiological status was 1.08 (95% CI 0.58 to 2.03; p = 0.805).
- The trial found no clinically meaningful quality-of-life benefit from supervised PSSE.
Why it matters
The findings distinguish statistical change in spinal curvature from a clinically important benefit. For adolescents already receiving brace treatment, supervised PSSE yielded a modest radiological advantage over self-directed exercise, but this did not translate into more clinically meaningful radiological improvement or sustained quality-of-life benefit. This helps frame expectations about the additional value of supervised exercise in this setting.