Immediate Effects of Posture Correction Girdle on Adolescents with Early Scoliosis

Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) is the complex three-dimensional deformity of the spine. AIS is commonly accompanied by postural alterations and imbalance problems. Adolescents with a spinal curvature between 6-20 degrees are defined as being in the early stages of scoliosis. Generally, bracing treatment with a hard brace is only recommended for adolescents with a spinal curvature between 21-40 degrees, while observation with periodical re-examination of the spine is suggested for cases of early scoliosis. Nevertheless, more treatment options could be provided to adolescents with early scoliosis as opposed to only observation. Therefore, a posture correction girdle has been developed with the aim to reduce posture imbalance problems and the possibility of spinal curve progression. In this study, the immediate effects of the posture correction girdle on four adolescents with early scoliosis are reported. Each subject undergoes a 2-hour trial of the girdle. Data collection is carried out before and after the trial by using radiographic imaging and three-dimensional body scanning. To evaluate the immediate effects of the posture correction girdle, comparisons are made pre and post results. Apart from the radiographic analysis, the changes of the postural angles in the frontal, horizontal, and sagittal planes during standing are also considered. The evaluation results show that the girdle has positive effects on the subjects. Two of them show a significant reduction in their spinal curve, while all of them reduce their postural imbalance during the time that the posture correction girdle is worn.