THE EFFECTIVENESS OF COMBINED BRACING AND PHYSICAL THERAPY EXERCISES IN ADOLESCENT IDIOPATHIC SCOLIOSIS: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.52442/rjhs.v5i2.364Keywords:
Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis; bracing; cobb angle; conservative treatment; physical therapy exercises; physiotherapy scoliosis specific exercises; systematic reviewAbstract
Introduction: Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis (AIS) is a prevalent disorder that affects a significant percentage of children between the ages of 10 and 16. Despite its prevalence, the cause of this condition remains unknown. There are several treatment options available for AIS, with bracing and physiotherapy being the most used. However, the effectiveness of combining these two treatments has not been thoroughly evaluated.
Material & Methods: The objective of this essay was to review the existing literature on the effectiveness of combined bracing and physical therapy exercises in treating AIS. To achieve this, a thorough search of databases such as PubMed, PEDro, Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar was conducted. Primary variables, such as Cobb angle reduction, and secondary variables, including balance control and quality of life improvement, were extracted from the selected studies. The quality of the studies was critically appraised using the Newcastle Ottawa Scale.
Results: The results of the review revealed that four prospective cohort studies met the inclusion criteria, with each study scoring an average of 6.5 on the Newcastle Ottawa Scale, indicating their high quality. The findings from these studies demonstrated that the combination of Physiotherapeutic Specific Scoliosis Exercises (PSSE) and Scroth exercises, along with bracing, had a significant impact on reducing the cobb angle when compared to the use of bracing alone.
Conclusion: In conclusion, the review suggests that combining bracing with exercise therapy can lead to improvements in cobb angles, balance control, and quality of life for individuals with AIS. Furthermore, this combined approach has the potential to reverse brace-induced deformities in these individuals. This finding underscores the potential benefits of integrating physiotherapy exercises with bracing in the treatment of AIS and highlights the need for further research in this area to better understand the long-term effects of this combined approach.
