Research on the Application of Schroth Therapy Combined with Shockwave Therapy in Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis

Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) is a complex spinal disorder characterised by a curvature of the spine with lateral deviation, posture issues, pain and high-level of decreased quality-of-life. Schroth therapy, a physical rehabilitation technique, has been widely used as a conservative treatment of AIS, by means of posture correction and muscle rebalancing. While it has been used as a conservative treatment for several years, it is not efficacious in patients with high-grade scoliotic curvatures. Extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) has been recently added to Schroth therapy in the treatment of AIS, as it has been shown to improve pain and relieve muscle tension. This study assesses the combined effect of Schroth therapy and ESWT as a treatment method for AIS. When the two treatment methods were combined, a greater reduction in the Cobb angle was observed, there was a higher adherence to the exercise regimen, and there was a marked improvement in pain and quality-of-life scores, especially to the psychosocial domain, including self-image and functional capacity. The study determined that, over the short-term, Schroth therapy combined with ESWT is more effective in symptom relief and, over the long-term, it enhances the success of scoliosis management. As a non-surgical intervention, it is favoured for patients with moderate AIS.