How important is physical therapy (PT) in scoliosis treatment?

There are different schools of thought on PT, especially when it comes to scoliosis management. Scoliosis Specific Exercises can teach patients how to improve their posture and move with the brace instead of against it, which can potentially enhance the effectiveness of the bracing treatment, although research is still limited on this subject. It all comes down to what is right for the individual, and what is right for one person may not be the best choice for another.

In fact, there are seven major schools of thought when it comes to PT management of scoliosis. PT intervention can range from periodic check-in visits with a home exercise program to programs with greater time commitment, such as Schroth. Just like every patient’s brace is a bit different and tailored to their curve and presentation, their physical therapy program also has to be unique to the patient in order to achieve the best outcomes. Bracing and PT are very complementary when it comes to the treatment of scoliosis, and each can benefit the other. PT can help reinforce the corrective posture obtained by the brace (and vice versa), and PT can also help develop and reinforce corrective movement patterns. Combined, they can lead to better outcomes for our patients