Effectiveness of traditional Chinese and Western Scoliosis-specific Exercises and Practices for Treating Adult Idiopathic Scoliosis: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Abstract

Background: Non-surgical treatments for adult idiopathic scoliosis is sometimes prescribed for patients as an alternative to surgical interventions, but their effectiveness is uncertain.

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of the Schroth method, SEAS, and TCM on reducing Cobb angle in adult idiopathic scoliosis.

Study Design: Systematic review and meta-analysis.

Methods: Database indexing services were used to search for applicable studies. Studies are eligible if their subjects are adults, used Schroth, SEAS, or TCM, and reported pre- and post-treatment Cobb angles. Meta-analysis was performed to determine effectiveness and compare the methods.

Results: With support from select, low-quality articles with unclear to high risk of bias, Schroth, SEAS, and TCM are effective in reducing Cobb angle for adult patients with idiopathic scoliosis.

Conclusion: Alternate, non-surgical methods for treating adult idiopathic may be effective in reducing Cobb angle. However, further high-quality research must be conducted to validate the effectiveness.

Keywords: Adult idiopathic scoliosis, Schroth, SEAS, traditional Chinese medicine