ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Rehabil. Sci.
Sec. Rehabilitation for Musculoskeletal Conditions
Volume 6 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fresc.2025.1586538
Preliminary Study on the Treatment of Prepubescent Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis with Schroth Exercises Combined with Core Exercises
Provisionally accepted
- Zhejiang Taizhou Hospital, Taizhou, China
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Background: Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis (AIS) is a common spinal deformity affecting 1% to 3% of adolescents aged 10 to 18, characterized by a lateral curvature with a Cobb angle ≥10°. Current treatments, including bracing and surgery, have limitations in patient compliance and invasiveness, highlighting the need for effective non-surgical alternatives.Methods: This retrospective cohort study included five prepubescent patients (age 10-14 years, Tanner Stage 1-2) with moderate AIS (Cobb angle 20°-40°). The intervention combined Schroth exercises with core exercises, performed 3-4 times daily over six months. Cobb angles were measured from standing full-spine radiographs at baseline and six months, while quality of life was assessed using the Scoliosis Research Society-22 (SRS-22) questionnaire.Results: The mean Cobb angle significantly reduced from 24.12° ± 4.80° at baseline to 12.68° ± 8.11° post-intervention (p = 0.012). Quality of life improved across all SRS-22 domains, with statistically significant gains in pain (p < 0.001), function (p = 0.011), mental health (p < 0.001), and self-image (p < 0.001). These findings suggest that the combined intervention effectively addresses spinal alignment and muscle strength, leading to improved clinical outcomes.Conclusion: This preliminary study demonstrates that combining Schroth exercises with core exercises is a promising non-surgical intervention for prepubescent AIS patients, significantly reducing Cobb angles and improving quality of life. Future research should include larger cohorts and longer follow-up periods to validate these findings and explore the long-term benefits of this combined approach.
Keywords: Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis, Schroth exercises, Core exercises, Preliminary study, Rehabilitation
Received: 03 Mar 2025; Accepted: 25 Aug 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Jiang, Chen, Wu, Chen, Wang and Wu. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Min-Jiao Wu, Zhejiang Taizhou Hospital, Taizhou, China
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