Six-Month Therapeutic Program and Trunk Rotation in Girls Aged 8-11

Results of a 6-month Therapeutic Program Regarding the Angle of Trunk Rotation in Girls Aged 8-11: a Randomized Trial

The primary assumption of this study is to evaluate the impact of individual and group corrective therapy on changes in body posture in the transverse plane in girls aged 8-11 years diagnosed with posture disorders. The aim of the study is to assess the effectiveness of a 6-month intervention consisting of individual physiotherapy conducted in accordance with the principles of the Functional Individual Therapy of Scoliosis (FITS) method and group corrective exercises, compared with observation only.

The study will enable a detailed analysis of changes in the angle of trunk rotation and selected parameters of spinal rotation in the transverse plane in children participating in the intervention. The results obtained may contribute to the evaluation of the clinical usefulness of individual and group physiotherapy programs in the correction of posture disorders and in the early prevention of scoliosis in the pediatric population.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Trunk Asymmetry in Children
• Intervention / Treatment: Diagnostic test: Group corrective gymnastics; Diagnostic test: Indywidual Therapy: FITS method

Detailed Description

The study was conducted in a population of girls aged 8-11 years identified through a school-based screening program for posture disorders. Following the informed consent procedures, 66 girls meeting all eligibility criteria were enrolled in the intervention phase.

Participants were assigned to one of three groups:

1. an individual therapy group undergoing physiotherapy in accordance with the principles of Functional Individual Therapy of Scoliosis (FITS),
2. a group therapy group participating in group corrective exercises, and
3. a control group remaining under observation without therapeutic intervention.

Posture assessment was performed before and after a 6-month intervention period. The angle of trunk rotation was measured using a scoliometer. A three-dimensional, non-invasive assessment of body posture and spinal alignment in the transverse plane was conducted using the DIERS Formetric 4D system. The evaluated parameters included trunk surface rotation, vertebral rotation, and selected rotational parameters of the thoracic and lumbar spine segments.

The individual FITS therapy was conducted according to standardized methodological principles and was tailored to the specific postural characteristics of each participant. Group corrective exercises were performed according to an established corrective exercise program appropriate for children with posture disorders. The observation group did not participate in any structured therapeutic intervention during the study period.

After completion of the 6-month intervention, all baseline measurements were repeated under identical conditions. The collected data allowed for the evaluation of changes in posture parameters within and between groups, enabling an assessment of the effectiveness of individual and group physiotherapy interventions in improving posture disorders and supporting early scoliosis prevention in children.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 65
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Poland
  • Lublin Voivodeship
    • Biała Podlaska, Lublin Voivodeship, Poland, 21-500
      • Józef Piłsudski University of Physical Education in Warsaw

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

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

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• female gender
• age 8-11 years
• before or up to six months after the onset of the first menstruation
• ATR 3-6 degrees
• no diagnosed orthopaedic, neurological or viral diseases
• written consent of parents and/or legal guardians to participate in the project

Exclusion Criteria:

• ATR below 3 and/or above 6 degrees
• visible structural abnormalities
• neurological, neuromuscular or cardiovascular diseases
• congenital defects
• scoliosis
• Scheuermann's disease
• diagnosed anatomical leg length discrepancy of less than 2.5 cm
• poor psychophysical condition
• elevated body temperature
• back or lower limb surgery
• spina bifida
• intellectual disability
• genetic conditions
• lack of written consent for testing.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

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

Number of Arms

3

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Group corrective gymnastics; Girls aged 8-11 with ATR 3-6 degrees (5-6 people) (n=21).	Diagnostic test: Group corrective gymnastics; The group participated in corrective gymnastics classes, conducted in accordance with generally accepted principles of physical activity and the Guide for Preventive and Corrective Exercises, The group underwent physiotherapy sessions (once a week, 45 minutes each) and performed home exercises (5 times a week, 30 minutes each) for 6 months.
Experimental: Indywidual Therapy: FITS method; Girls aged 8-11 with ATR 3-6 degrees (n=22).	Diagnostic test: Indywidual Therapy: FITS method; The group underwent individual therapy in accordance with the FITS method, adapted to the functional abilities of the patients. The group underwent physiotherapy sessions (once a week, 45 minutes each) and performed home exercises (5 times a week, 30 minutes each) for 6 months.
No Intervention: Observational group; Girls aged 8-11 with ATR 3-6 degrees (n=22).

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Angle of Trunk Rotation (ATR)	Angle of trunk rotation measured in degrees using a scoliometer during Adam's forward bend test.	6 month
Surface Rotation Parameters (DIERS Formetric 3D)	surface rotation assessed using the DIERS Formetric 3D system, including surface rotation (degrees), root mean square of back surface rotation (degrees), and maximum vertebral rotation (degrees) in the thoracic (Th1-Th4, Th5-Th12) and lumbar (L1-L5) spine segments.	6 months

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Wioleta Chwalewska
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Wioleta Chwalewska, MS, Józef Piłsudski University of Physical Education in Warsaw

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): January 20, 2023
• Primary Completion (Actual): June 20, 2024
• Study Completion (Actual): June 20, 2024

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: February 13, 2026
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: February 19, 2026
• First Posted (Actual): February 23, 2026

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): February 23, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: February 19, 2026
• Last Verified: February 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Other Study ID Numbers: 01-38/2022

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: YES
• IPD Sharing Time Frame: The data will be available beginning at the time of publication of the study results and will remain available for a period of 5 years after publication.
• IPD Sharing Access Criteria: De-identified individual participant data (IPD) underlying the results reported in the publication will be shared. This includes data related to primary and secondary outcome measures, baseline participant characteristics, and variables analyzed in the study. All data will be fully anonymized, and no information enabling identification of individual participants will be included, in accordance with applicable data protection regulations.
• IPD Sharing Supporting Information Type: STUDY_PROTOCOL; ICF

Drug and device information, study documents

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