Idiopathic scoliosis under 30 degrees in growing patients. A comparative study of the F.E.D. method and other conservative treatments.

PROBLEM ADDRESSED: Treatment of scoliosis under 30 degrees Cobb in growing patients remains controversial. Different orthopaedic devices have been developed and used with satisfactory results, alone or in combination with a variety of physiotherapy programs. The F.E.D. method is a dynamic three-dimensional therapy consisting in the application of derotational forces under spine stretching. This method offers some advantages over conventional conservative treatment for scoliosis: shorter treatment period, no use of plasters in many cases, better psychological tolerance, etc.

PURPOSE OF THE WORK: In this work, the results of the F.E.D. method were compared to other conservative treatment techniques in scoliosis under 30 degrees Cobb angle and Risser 3 or less.

RESEARCH METHOD: Both the F.E.D. group and the group of patients treated by traditional orthopaedic methods included 30 children. Patients were divided on the basis of the type of scoliotic deformity: thoracic, thoracolumbar or lumbar. SUMMARY OF RESULTS AND FINDINGS: The results obtained showed that patients treated with the F.E.D. method had a significantly better outcome than the other methods in terms of angle correction and shorter period of treatment necessary to reach correction.

CONCLUSION

The F.E.D. method can be considered as the elective treatment in growing adolescents with scoliosis under 30 degrees.