An effective active self-correction in standing without external aids is possible in adolescents with idiopathic scoliosis: a cross-sectional study

To verify the effect of an Active Self-Correction (ASC) according to the SEAS (Scientific Exercise Approach to Scoliosis) PSSE school on the radiographic Cobb angle and apical vertebral rotation compared to habitual standing in adolescents with AIS. this is a cross-sectional study nested in a prospective database of a tertiary outpatient referral institute. Inclusion criteria were AIS, 10–18 years old, Cobb angle ≥ 10°, coronal full-spine standing radiography performing Active Self-Correction. The exclusion criterion was no x-ray in habitual standing within two months of ASC x-ray. Curves were divided into single primaries and double primaries and blindly measured using Cobb and Raimondi degrees. Descriptive statistics, Pearson and Spearman correlation analysis were used. Twenty-six adolescents, mean Cobb angle 32 ± 11°, were included. The mean difference between not ASC and ASC x-ray was clinically significant in both Cobb and Raimondi degrees in single primary curves (5.8° and 1.7°, respectively) and in Raimondi degrees only in double primaries (1.8°). Very-weak correlations were found between Cobb and Raimondi degrees variations (r = 0.1). Active Self-Correction without external aid is able to improve the scoliosis deformity. The results highlight the effect of ASC in reducing Cobb degrees in single primary curves, but suggest that double curve management can still be improved. Future research should investigate which aspects of ASC do impact SEAS treatment efficacy.