Table 1 The similarities and the differences between the methods

Lyon (France)

SOSORT 2011 guidelines

* Juvenile

Adolescent

** Adult

Focuses on physical therapy exercises in preparation for brace wearing and in brace

Ponseti

Lenke

Rotational angular breathing (RAB)

Encouraging thoracic kyphosis and lumbar lordosis

3D ARTbrace (Asymmetrical Rigid Torsion brace)

De Mauroy JC et al. Scoliosis. 2015;10:26

Schroth (Germany)

SOSORT 2011 guidelines

* Early onset

* Juvenile

Adolescent

** Adult

Reshape the thorax through isometric muscle activation around the prominences (the convexities) and a specific breathing technique (called rotational angular breathing (RAB) or simply orthopedic breathing) in the collapsed areas (the concavities)

Katharina Schroth’s Body Blocks

Rotational angular breathing (RAB)

Rib cage, spine mobilization and lower extremities flexibility

3D Chêneau brace

RCT - Schreiber S et al. Scoliosis. 2015;10:24

Weiss H et al. Hard Tissue. 2013; 2(3): 27

RCT - Kuru T et al. Clinil Rehabil. 2015

Weiss HR et al. Stud Health Technol Inform. 2002;91:342–7

Scientific Exercise Approach to Scoliosis (SES) (Italy)

SOSORT 2011 guidelines

Same treatment objectives for all ages

Educates and trains patients to actively self-correct their posture and to incorporate that self-correction into functional exercises

Ponseti

Rotational angular breathing (RAB)

Pre-bracing mobilization

3D Sibilla brace (Cobb <30°) Sforzesco brace (Cobb 30°–50°)

RCT - Monticone M et al. Eur Spine J. 2014;23(6):1204–14

Negrini S et al. Disability and Rehabilitation 2008;30(10):772–785

Barcelona Scoliosis Physical Therapy School (BSPTS) (Spain)

SOSORT 2011 guidelines

* Juvenile

Adolescent

** Adult

Based on the original principles of correction established by Katharina Schroth. Like the Schroth method, the school’s aim to improve the scoliotic posture via muscle activation and the RAB technique mentioned above.

Katharina Schroth’s Body Blocks and Manuel Rigo’s radiological classification

Rotational angular breathing (RAB)

Rib cage, spine and lower extremities flexibility

3D Rigo Chêneau brace

Schroth evidence above plus:

Rigo M et al. Scoliosis 2010,5:1

Otman SN et al. Saudi Med J. 2005; 26(9): 1429–35

Dobomed (Poland)

SOSORT 2011 guidelines

Same treatment objectives for all ages

Involves mobilization of the primary curve toward curve correction with a special emphasis on ‘kyphotization’ of the thoracic spine and/or ‘lordotization’ of the lumbar spine in closed kinetic chains

Dobomed

Specific Rotational angular breathing in a ‘phased-lock’ respiration technique

Increase thoracic spine kyphosis and lumbar lordosis

3D Cheneau brace

Durmala J et al. Ortop Traumatol Rehabil. 2003;5(l):80–5

Durmala J et al. Scoliosis. 2009;4(Suppl 2):029

Side-Shift (United Kingdom)

SOSORT 2011 guidelines

Adolescent

** Adult

Built on the theory that a flexible curve can be stabilized with lateral movements and that repetitive side movements of the trunk will correct the lateral deviation of the trunk along with the coronal plane

King

Rotational angular breathing (RAB)

Principles of Maitland and myofascial release techniques

Unspecified

Functional Individual Therapy of Scoliosis (FITS) (Poland)

SOSORT 2011 guidelines

Juvenile

Adolescent

** Adult

Based on a number of physiotherapeutic techniques that were selected and adapted specifically for the treatment of scoliosis. Examples are Proprioception Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF) and myofascial release techniques

No traditional classification system

3D corrective breathing into the concavities

Mobilization and myofascial techniques to eliminate myofascial restrictions

3D Cheneau brace

Białek M. Scoliosis. 2011;28;6(1):25

Białek M. Medicine. 2015;94(20):e863