The Effects of Schroth Based Exercise Therapy in Adolescents with Pectus Excavatum

Research on exercise methods for pectus excavatum (PE) is limited, highlighting the need for further studies. This study investigated the effects of Schroth-based exercise therapy combined with vacuum treatment in 35 adolescents with PE, divided into a vacuum + exercise group (n=19) and a vacuum-only group (n=16). Outcomes included deformity severity, sagittal posture, thoracic cage and spinal mobility, muscle endurance, and quality of life. The combination therapy significantly improved sagittal spinal posture (craniovertebral, thoracic, thoracolumbar, lumbar angles) and deformity-specific quality of life (Nuss Questionnaire scores) compared to vacuum-only treatment.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Funnel Chest; Pectus Excavatum; Pectus Excavatum Deformity; Chest Deformities
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Exercise

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 35
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Turkey
  • Altındağ
    • Ankara, Altındağ, Turkey, 06100
      • Hacettepe Uuniversity

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Child; Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• having pectus excavatum
• being 10-18 years
• having Haller index more than 2.5

Exclusion Criteria:

• Individuals with pectus excavatum associated with a syndrome Individuals with mixed deformity
• Individuals who have previously received any conservative treatment or surgery for chest deformity or spinal issues
• Individuals with neuromuscular, rheumatic, or chronic systemic diseases

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Non-Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
No Intervention: vacuum only
Experimental: Vacuum plus exercise	Other: Exercise; Due to the limited research on exercise approaches for pectus excavatum, further investigation in this field is needed. This study aims to explore the impact of Schroth-based exercise therapy on adolescents with pectus excavatum.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Primary Outcome Measure 1: Deformity Severity	Primary Outcome Measure 1: Deformity Severity Measurement: Anthropometric Index (cm) Details: Repeated, in cm. Time frame: The assessment will be conducted during the first week of treatment and 12 weeks after treatment	12 weeks
Primary Outcome Measure 2: Sagittal Spinal Posture	Primary Outcome Measure 2: Sagittal Spinal Posture Measurement: Lateral Photos (°) Details: In degrees Time Frame:The assessment will be conducted during the first week of treatment and 12 weeks after treatment	12 weeks
Primary Outcome Measure 3: Disease-Specific QoL	Primary Outcome Measure 3: Disease-Specific QoL Measurement: Nuss Questionnaire (1-4) Details: Higher = better Time Frame: The assessment will be conducted during the first week of treatment and 12 weeks after treatment	12 weeks
Primary Outcome Measure 4: General QoL	Primary Outcome Measure 4: General QoL Measurement: PedsQL (0-100) Details: Higher = better Time Frame: The assessment will be conducted during the first week of treatment and 12 weeks after treatment	12 weeks

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Secondary Outcome Measure 1: Thoracic Cage Mobility	Secondary Outcome Measure 1: Thoracic Cage Mobility Measurement: Chest Circumference (cm) Details: In cm Time Frame: The assessment will be conducted during the first week of treatment and 12 weeks after treatment	12 weeks
Secondary Outcome Measure 2: Spinal Mobility	Secondary Outcome Measure 2: Spinal Mobility Measurement: Sit-and-Reach (cm) Details: Highest value Time Frame: The assessment will be conducted during the first week of treatment and 12 weeks after treatment	12 weeks
Secondary Outcome Measure 3: Lumbar Mobility	Secondary Outcome Measure 3: Lumbar Mobility - Measurement: Modified Schober (cm) Details: Difference in cm Time Frame: The assessment will be conducted during the first week of treatment and 12 weeks after treatment	12 weeks
Secondary Outcome Measure 4: Muscle Endurance (Sit-Ups)	Secondary Outcome Measure 4: Muscle Endurance (Sit-Ups) Measurement: Sit-Up (reps/30s) Details: Repetitions Time Frame: The assessment will be conducted during the first week of treatment and 12 weeks after treatment	12 weeks
Secondary Outcome Measure 5: Muscle Endurance (Lateral Bridge)	Secondary Outcome Measure 5: Muscle Endurance (Lateral Bridge) Measurement: Lateral Bridge (s) Details: Duration Time Frame: The assessment will be conducted during the first week of treatment and 12 weeks after treatment	12 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Hacettepe University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): April 15, 2023
• Primary Completion (Actual): May 1, 2024
• Study Completion (Actual): May 1, 2024

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: December 4, 2024
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: January 6, 2025
• First Posted (Actual): March 25, 2025

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): March 25, 2025
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: January 6, 2025
• Last Verified: January 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Exercise; Exercise therapy; Funnel chest; Vacuum; Pectus excavatum; Tissue expansion devices
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Bone Diseases; Musculoskeletal Diseases; Musculoskeletal Abnormalities; Bone Diseases, Developmental; Congenital Abnormalities; Funnel Chest
• Other Study ID Numbers: KA-22069/ 11.04.2023

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
• product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.: No