ORIGINAL PAPER
Effects of a 3-week Schroth physiotherapy program on sagittal spinal alignment in girls with mild adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS): a pilot study
1
Faculty of Medical and Technical Sciences, The Karkonosze University of Applied Sciences, Jelenia Góra, Poland
2
Department of Physiotherapy in Musculoskeletal Dysfunction and Kinesiology, Wroclaw University of Health and Sport Sciences, Wroclaw, Poland
3
Department of Fundamentals of Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy, Wroclaw University of Health and Sport Sciences, Wroclaw, Poland
Submission date: 2026-03-10
Acceptance date: 2026-06-08
Online publication date: 2026-10-26
Corresponding author
Anna Mickiewicz
The Karkonosze University of Applied Sciences, Lwówecka Street 18, 58-506 Jelenia Góra, Poland
The Karkonosze University of Applied Sciences, Lwówecka Street 18, 58-506 Jelenia Góra, Poland
KEYWORDS
adolescent idiopathic scoliosisSchroth therapysagittal spinal alignmentthoracic kyphosisphysiotherapeutic scoliosis-specific exercises (PSSE)
TOPICS
ABSTRACT
Introduction:
Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) is commonly treated with physiotherapeutic scoliosis-specific exercises such as the Schroth method. However, evidence regarding the short-term effects on sagittal spinal alignment in patients with mild curves remains limited.
Methods:
This prospective pilot study evaluated the effects of a 3-week Schroth physiotherapy program on sagittal spinal curvatures in girls with mild AIS (Cobb angle < 25°). Fourteen participants aged 10–16 years completed daily 45-minute supervised sessions. Thoracic kyphosis, lumbar lordosis, and sacral slope were assessed using a Rippstein plurimeter before and after the intervention. Statistical analysis included paired t-tests or Wilcoxon signed-rank tests depending on the distribution of differences.
Results:
Thoracic kyphosis increased significantly from 14.29 ± 7.71° to 23.07 ± 6.41° (mean difference 8.79°, 95% CI 5.25–12.32; p < 0.001; Cohen’s d = 1.43). No statistically significant changes were observed in lumbar lordosis (p = 0.142) or sacral slope (p = 0.068; Holm-adjusted p = 0.136).
Conclusions:
A short-term Schroth physiotherapy program may contribute to the normalisation of thoracic sagittal alignment in girls with mild AIS. Further controlled studies with larger samples are required to confirm these findings.
Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) is commonly treated with physiotherapeutic scoliosis-specific exercises such as the Schroth method. However, evidence regarding the short-term effects on sagittal spinal alignment in patients with mild curves remains limited.
Methods:
This prospective pilot study evaluated the effects of a 3-week Schroth physiotherapy program on sagittal spinal curvatures in girls with mild AIS (Cobb angle < 25°). Fourteen participants aged 10–16 years completed daily 45-minute supervised sessions. Thoracic kyphosis, lumbar lordosis, and sacral slope were assessed using a Rippstein plurimeter before and after the intervention. Statistical analysis included paired t-tests or Wilcoxon signed-rank tests depending on the distribution of differences.
Results:
Thoracic kyphosis increased significantly from 14.29 ± 7.71° to 23.07 ± 6.41° (mean difference 8.79°, 95% CI 5.25–12.32; p < 0.001; Cohen’s d = 1.43). No statistically significant changes were observed in lumbar lordosis (p = 0.142) or sacral slope (p = 0.068; Holm-adjusted p = 0.136).
Conclusions:
A short-term Schroth physiotherapy program may contribute to the normalisation of thoracic sagittal alignment in girls with mild AIS. Further controlled studies with larger samples are required to confirm these findings.
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