Analysis of scoliosis deformation in the Zebris computer study as an assessment of the effectiveness of the FED method in the treatment of idiopathic scolioses.

UNLABELLED

Idiopathic scoliosis is one of the most difficult problems of contemporary orthopaedics and physiotherapy, and its unknown etiology hinders initiation of effective causative therapy. A tendency for progression of scoliosis, and failure of many conservative treatment methods stimulated a search for new and more effective methods which will not only stop a progress of the deformation, but actually correct it. The FED method is a relatively new, but promising method used for conservative treatment of idiopathic scoliosis. It is based on the use of a special device, which enables corrective forces to act at a level of the scoliotic curve.

AIM

The aim of this study was a comparative analysis of effectiveness of idiopathic scoliosis treatment using the FED method versus FITS, during 3 weeks of observations of girls aged 11 to 15 years.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The study was conducted in 60 girls, aged from 11 to 15 years (mean 13.58 ± 1.33 years) randomly qualified which were suffered with double-curve scoliosis of the 2nd degree according to Cobb. According to the randomization, the girls were assigned to two groups based on the therapeutic strategy, the study group of patients treated with the FED method, and the control group treated with the FITS method. The therapy results were evaluated by computer examination of the posture using the Zebris CMS10 system. The degree of the spine deformity in the frontal plane was described with the total scoliotic deformation (SD) angle.

RESULTS

In the conducted study, no statistically significant difference was noted between groups for any of the analyzed variables. It means that these groups did not differ statistically in terms of subjects' number, age, type of scoliosis, Cobb angle value for primary and secondary scoliosis, Risser sign, Raimondi rotation, and scoliosis type. Statistically significant differences were found between the two groups for the scoliosis degree, however, after the therapy, the girls treated with the FED method were characterized by a greater improvement in this parameter versus the control group.

CONCLUSIONS

Both FED and FITS methods significantly influence the improvement in the scoliotic deformation degree in the Zebris computer examination during a 3-week follow-up; however, when both treatment methods are compared, it can be concluded that the therapy by the FED method is statistically more effective. The treatment of the 2nd degree scolioses with the FED method requires further analyses supplemented with other parameters of postural examination, as well as long-term diagnostics in a larger group of patients.