RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN BACK ASYMMETRY AND SELF-PERCEIVED BODY IMAGE IN ADOLESCENT IDIOPATHIC SCOLIOSIS

Background: Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) can significantly impact self-perceived body image, with visual deformity and psychosocial factors not always aligning with radiographic severity, necessitating further understanding of external asymmetries.Purpose: To examine the association between back asymmetry of both frontal and axial planes and self-perceived body image in adolescents with AIS.Materials and Methods: Forty-one participants with thoracic-dominant AIS (11–18 years; Cobb angle 25°–45°) were recruited from outpatient clinics and the faculty of Physical Therapy at Cairo University. Frontal and axial back asymmetries were assessed using the BACKSCNR mobile application. Self-perceived body image was assessed with trunk appearance perception scale . Spearman correlations were used to test the associations between asymmetry metrics and TAPS (α = 0.05). Results: The mean of self-perceived body image was 3.37 ± 0.54. Mean of frontal asymmetry was −25.20 ± 7.14 and axial rotation 27.42 ± 7.52 (BackSCNR mm). Neither frontal nor axial asymmetry correlated with self-perceived body image (ρ = -0.030, p = 0.853, ρ = 0.151, p = 0.474).Conclusions: In adolescents with moderate thoracic AIS (25°–45°), externally measured frontal and axial back asymmetries did not relate to self-perceived body image on TAPS. These findings suggest that body-image dissatisfaction in AIS reflects a complex interplay of physical and psychosocial factors rather than surface or radiographic deformity alone. Non-invasive surface-topography tools remain valuable for monitoring posture and treatment response but should be complemented with patient-reported outcomes when addressing body-image concerns.