Does bracing affect the quality life of patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis?

Aim

The aim of this study is to investigate the quality of life (QOL) of the patients with idiopathic scoliosis who underwent various kinds of conservative treatment.

Methods

The responses to the Scoliosis Research Society (SRS)-22 questionnaire, Oswestry disability index (ODI), and Roland-Morris disability questionnaire (RDQ) were analyzed according to the treatment they received.

Results

One hundred twenty-two female patients with idiopathic scoliosis whose age was between 14 and 30 years were included in the analysis. Of 122 patients, 47 were treated with exercise only, 33 were treated with Milwaukee brace (MB), and 42 were treated with Boston type under arm brace (UAB). Most of the patients wore their brace part-time. The average age of three groups was 20.1, 19.2, and 18.3 years, and the average Cobb angle was 30.9°, 45.9°, and 38.5°, respectively.

The average score for the domains of SRS-22, that is, pain, function, self image, mental health, and satisfaction was, 4.7, 4.4, 3.4, 3.9, and 3.3 in exercise group, 4.4, 4.0, 3.3, 3.6, and 3.5 in MB group, and 4.7, 4.3, 3.5, 4.2, and 3.5 in UAB group, respectively. The score for pain and function domain was significantly lower in the MB group than in the other two groups. For mental health domain, score of the MB group was lower than that of the UAB group. There was no difference among the three groups regarding ODI and RDQ score.

Conclusion

Brace type was one of the factors that affect the QOL of the patients with scoliosis.