Figure 5

A sample of figures demonstrating that also in bracing it is not uncommon to treat mature individuals. The female patient on the upper left clearly is mature (Breast staging: Tanner 5). The x-rays as published within the same figure together with the clinical picture [26] on the first glance seem to show a drastical improvement of the curve as claimed by the authors. First of all, a permanent result like this cannot be achieved in a mature patient and is therefore not credible (on the left side x-ray a Risser 4 was estimated with fusion of the right iliac crest apophysis). Secondly, the Risser sign on the right x-ray seems more immature when compared to the left which could lead to the assumption that the right x-ray was the first and the left one was the last one and by this demonstrates a drastical curve progression. With kind permission of Pflaum, Munich (Weiss HR: Best practice in conservative scoliosis care. 4th edition in press).