OBJECTIVE

To compare the effects of a novel mechanical 3-dimensional (3D) scoliosis correction protocol and the Schroth exercise on the spinal flexibility of patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS).

DESIGN

Randomized controlled trial.

SETTING

At the affiliated teaching hospital of a university.

PARTICIPANTS

Forty participants with AIS (aged 14.7±2.1y, 10 males and 30 females) received 1 intervention session.

INTERVENTIONS

Participants were randomly allocated to the intervention group (IG) (n=20) receiving a single 30-minute mechanical 3D scoliosis correction session and the exercise group (EG) (n=20) receiving a single 30-minute Schroth exercise session. A newly developed scoliosis correction system that could generate spinal longitudinal traction (based on the standard mechanical spinal traction protocol for managing low back pain) and lateral forces (based on the 3-point pressure system) was applied to the participants of the IG.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Spinal flexibility and body height were evaluated before and after each intervention.

RESULTS

Significant improvements in spinal flexibility were found in the forward bending and trunk rotation tests for both groups (028). The participants of the IG further demonstrated significantly improved spinal flexibility as assessed by the lateral bending tests and body height (012). The increase in body height in the IG was also significantly larger than that of the EG (05).

CONCLUSIONS

This pilot study preliminarily demonstrated that the developed novel 30-minute mechanical 3D scoliosis correction protocol could effectively improve the side-bending spinal flexibility and body height of the participants. Such positive effects tend to be better than those generated by the Schroth best practice exercises. A long-term study with more participants should be warranted.