The effect of brace treatment on pulmonary functions in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis: An 8-month follow-up study.

BACKGROUND: The instant effect of a brace on pulmonary functions of patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) is known. However, the permanent effects of its regular use are still unclear. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to determine whether a brace in patients with AIS had a permanent effect on respiratory functions. METHODS: Fifteen patients with a mean age of 13.2 ± 1.6 years, and a major Cobb angle of 25.8∘± 7.7∘ participated in this study. Lung volumes and respiratory muscle strength were measured with and without thoracolumbosacral brace, at the end of first month and follow-up period after the patients started using the brace for 23 hours daily. RESULTS: When the brace was on, the forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1), ratio of FEV1/FVC, peak expiratory flow, and forced expiratory flow between 25% and 75% of vital capacity values were found to be lower at both first month and follow-up. After the follow-up, the measurement results did not differ from the results of the first month. CONCLUSIONS: The brace had a momentary restrictive effect on patients with AIS. However, it did not cause a permanent change in pulmonary functions after the 8-month follow-up.

Gait oxygen consumption in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis and the effect of brace use.

BACKGROUND: Despite studies showing that gait is affected in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS), it remains unclear whether gait oxygen consumption is altered. RESEARCH QUESTION: The aims of the present study were to compare energy consumption during gait between subjects with AIS and healthy controls, and to examine the effect of brace use on gait energy expenditure. METHODS: This prospectively designed study included 15 AIS and 15 healthy girls, whose ages ranged from 10 to 16 years old and Cobb angles from 20 and 45°. At the end of the first month of brace use for the first time in individuals with AIS, oxygen consumption was measured with and without brace use on a treadmill at a gait speed of 4 km.h-1 using a metabolic analyzer. RESULTS: There was no statistically significant difference in gross and net gait oxygen consumption measurements between AIS and healthy individuals or between individuals with AIS with or without brace use (p >  0.05). SIGNIFICANCE: After one month of brace treatment, AIS is not associated with an additional metabolic load with or without the brace during gait when compared to healthy subjects.