Therapeutic potential of Golta therapy via radiographic and thermographic evaluation in improving scoliosis

Rationale: Golta therapy is a manual spinal correction technique using percussive tapping instruments to mobilize the vertebrae and improve postural alignment. However, radiographic and thermographic changes following Golta therapy in patients with scoliosis have not been well documented. Patient concerns: A 13-year-old female presented with progressive postural asymmetry, including uneven shoulder height, an asymmetric waistline, and right-sided rib prominence. Diagnoses: Radiographic evaluation confirmed scoliosis, with baseline thoracic and lumbar Cobb angles of 38.26° and 34.00°, respectively. Thermographic evaluation demonstrated paraspinal temperature asymmetry. Interventions: The patient received 14 sessions of Golta therapy over 8 weeks, consisting of tapping-based vertebral and paraspinal mobilization. Outcomes: After treatment, the thoracic Cobb angle decreased from 38.26° to 30.54°, while the lumbar Cobb angle decreased from 34.00° to 20.00°. Thermographic evaluation showed reduced paraspinal temperature asymmetry, accompanied by improvement in postural symmetry. No adverse events were reported. Lessons: In this patient, Golta therapy was associated with improvements in radiographic Cobb angles, paraspinal thermal symmetry, and postural alignment without reported adverse events. Larger controlled studies with long-term follow-up are needed to determine the reproducibility, clinical significance, and durability of these findings.