The Effect of Schroth Exercises on Pulmonary Function in Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis

Background: In the present study, we aimed to evaluate the effect of regular Schroth exercises on pulmonary functions in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) patients who use rigid braces and perform Schroth exercises regularly.

Objective: The main purpose of this study, is to investigate the effects of Schroth exercises on pulmonary functions in adolescents who use rigid braces and perform Schroth exercises regularly.

Methods: Twenty-four patients with AIS were included in the study. The patients who wore rigid braces and performed the SSE therapy constituted the "Brace&Exercise" (N=12), and the patients who wore full-time rigid braces but did not perform exercise constituted the "Brace Group" (N=12) of the study. The effects of Schroth exercises on pulmonary functions were measured at the beginning of treatment and the 8th week of the treatment.

Keywords: Adolescent, idiopathic scoliosis, conservative treatment, brace, respiratory function, Schroth exercises.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Pulmonary Function; Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Brace and Exercise Treatment; Other: Brace Treatment

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 24
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Turkey
  • Istanbul, Turkey
    • Halic University

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 10 years to 16 years (CHILD)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• 10-16 years,
• 25-45 Cobb degree,
• Brace and exercise treatment prescribed by the physician
• Participation in the study was approved by the family/caregiver

Exclusion Criteria:

• Chronic respiratory diseases,
• Professional athletes,
• Did not perform the exercises regularly
• Did not compliance the brace

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: TREATMENT
• Allocation: NON_RANDOMIZED
• Interventional Model: PARALLEL
• Masking: NONE

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
EXPERIMENTAL: "Brace&Exercise Group"; The patients who were the rigid brace and performed the SSE therapy in the specified constituted the Brace & Exercise. Experimental group patients wore full-time rigid brace and Schroth exercises for 60 minutes 5 days a week by the physician.	Other: Brace and Exercise Treatment; Schroth exercises, which are a specific exercise method for scoliosis, were given to the experimental group for 8 weeks, different from the control group.
ACTIVE_COMPARATOR: "Brace Group"; The patients who wore full-time rigid braces but did not perform exercise constituted the Brace group. Comparator group patients wore full-time brace only, did not perform Schroth exercises.	Other: Brace Treatment; Among the patients included in the study, those who wore braces but did not agree to exercise constituted the ''Brace Group'' of the study.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
FVC - Respiratory Functions	Forced vital capacity (FVC), is the maximum amount of air that can be exhaled when blowing out as fast as possible. The pulmonary function test was evaluated with two different measurements, both at the beginning of the treatment (T0) and at the 8th week of the treatment (T1). The data obtained was determined as the primary outcome of the study, and the patients in both groups were administered by the research physiotherapist. For respiratory function tests were used a handheld type spirometer (SP10W, Contec). For the spirometric measurement, the patient was seated on the chair and a clip was placed on the patient nose to keep the nostril closed. Afterward, the device was placed in the patient's mouth, they were asked to take a deep breath and exhale into the device with maximum force. This process was repeated three times and the highest value among the measurements was recorded as respiratory function data.	8 Weeks
FEV1 - Respiratory Functions	Forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) is the volume of air exhaled in the first second during forced exhalation after maximum inspiration. The pulmonary function test was evaluated with two different measurements, both at the beginning of the treatment (T0) and at the 8th (T1) week of the treatment. The obtained data were determined as the primary outcome of the study and the patients in both groups were administered the same procedure by the researcher physiotherapist.	8 Weeks
PEF - Respiratory Functions	Peak expiratory flow (PEF), the maximal flow that can be exhaled when blowing out at a steady rate. The pulmonary function test was evaluated with two different measurements, both at the beginning of the treatment (T0) and at the 8th (T1) week of the treatment. The obtained data were determined as the primary outcome of the study and the patients in both groups were administered the same procedure by the researcher physiotherapist.	8 Weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Istanbul Medipol University Hospital
• Collaborators: Halic University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (ACTUAL): December 2, 2019
• Primary Completion (ACTUAL): September 11, 2020
• Study Completion (ACTUAL): September 11, 2020

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: July 30, 2022
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: August 15, 2022
• First Posted (ACTUAL): August 18, 2022

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (ACTUAL): August 22, 2022
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: August 19, 2022
• Last Verified: July 1, 2022

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Musculoskeletal Diseases; Spinal Diseases; Bone Diseases; Spinal Curvatures; Scoliosis
• Other Study ID Numbers: schroth exercises

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No