The Effect of the Schroth Rehabilitation Exercise Program on Spinal and Feet Alignment in Adolescent Patients with Idiopathic Scoliosis: A Pilot Study

This study investigated the therapeutic effects of 12-week Schroth rehabilitation exercises (SRE) in improving Cobb's angle, scoliometer readings, lumbar lordosis, and the calcaneal valgus angle of patients with idiopathic scoliosis. This pilot study included 60 adolescent patients diagnosed with idiopathic scoliosis by a rehabilitation physician based on a Cobb's angle of ≥10° using total anteroposterior plain radiography. Patients were classified into groups with a Cobb's angle of 10-19° (G1), 20-29° (G2), and ≥30° (G3). Cobb's angle, scoliometer readings, lumbar lordosis, and calcaneal valgus angles were analyzed before and after the 12-week SRE. SRE improved Cobb's angle (-6.85), scoliometer readings (-2.80), lumbar lordosis (4.23), and calcaneal valgus angles (left, -3.76; right, -2.83) regardless of the initial scoliosis angle, and within-group changes were significant ( < 0.001). In this study, participants in all three groups had undergone SRE, regardless of initial scoliosis severity, and the findings were significant. SRE can be used for patients with idiopathic scoliosis to improve asymmetric musculoskeletal morphology and the patient's quality of life.