Scoliosis and body schema disorders: an experimental study in 48 patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis.

Introduction. Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) has a composite aetiology, involving factors as defective central nervous system control of body posture, alteration of the body schema, anomalous interactions between hormones involved in the growth processes, genetic determined collagen and skeletal musculoskeletal abnormalities and biomechanical disturbances.1 Aim of this study is to determine the presence of an alteration of the body schema in patients with AIS. Materials and methods. 48 patients (mean age 13,8 years) with AIS were recruited. We collected data about age, sex, stature, weight, handedness, age at menarche or at pubertal voice changing, family history of scoliosis, back pain, sport practice, asymmetry of the trunk and deviation of the line of spinal apophyses.2 Surface measurements of the sagittal curves of the spine (by means of inclinometer) and of the hump at the Adam’s test (by means of Scoliometer and hump-meter) were performed.2 Data about the Cobb’s angle, the Risser sign and rehabilitation treatment were also collected.2 We evaluated each patient’s postural assessment perception by means of a graphic board reporting several imagines of spines with scoliosis by asking to indicate the image representing their own spine. Results. Patients with AIS showed to significantly underestimate their primary curve. Family history of scoliosis and asymmetry of the shoulders showed a positive correlation with the curve estimation error. Moreover age, Risser sign and rehabilitative treatment duration showed a negative correlation. Conclusion. Patients with AIS showed to have a defectively awareness of their anomalous postural condition, reporting an underestimation of their deformity. Postural awareness become more precise with growth and rehabilitative treatment.