Scoliosis is defined as the lateral curvature of the spine more than 10 degrees to the right
or left, detected radiologically in the coronal plane, but scoliosis is a complex
three-dimensional orthopedic deformity that also affects the spine, shoulder girdle and
pelvis. The etiopathogenesis of scoliosis is still unclear and the cause cannot be determined
in 80% of cases, and it is called idiopathic scoliosis. Other causes include neurological,
bone origin, trauma, joint and connective tissue pathologies. Scoliosis causes postural
changes in the whole body of the person due to the rotation and angulation of the spine.
Especially the abdominal muscles, rib cage, back and waist extensors are most affected by
this condition, and it causes biomechanical changes in the pelvis, shoulder girdle and even
lower extremities and feet. The spine causes severe morphological changes due to vertebral
wedging and rib cage distortion. Vertebral wedging causes a progressive vertebral deformation
associated with axial rotation and scoliosis progression. This vertebral deformation is not
only associated with the deterioration of the bone structure and the spine, but also causes
changes in the structures of the upper extremity and lower extremity. In the treatment of
scoliosis; There are four main categories as observation, corset, physiotherapy and
rehabilitation applications and surgery. These treatments should be decided by considering
the risk of curvature progression. The main purpose in the treatment of scoliosis is to
prevent curvature progression. In scoliosis, besides the spine, the shoulder girdle, pelvis
and even the lower extremities are also affected by this pathological condition and postural
problems occur. Therefore, a detailed clinical analysis and evaluation of the entire
musculoskeletal system should be performed in individuals with scoliosis. The problem is
determined by revealing in detail the length, strength and functional status of the muscles
and ligaments that cause impaired body cosmetics. It has been reported in the literature that
pelvic anomalies occur with the progression of scoliosis. Qui et al. reported that there is a
difference between the right and left of the pelvis, which is not due to developmental
asymmetry or distortion of the pelvis, but due to horizontal rotation. At the same time, Gum
et al. reported that people with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) have advanced pelvic
rotations in the transverse plane. Stylianides et al. reported for the first time iliac crest
asymmetry in people with untreated AIS using 3D electromagnetic pointers. In individuals with
severe scoliosis angles, skeletal deformity of the spine is associated with pelvis
misalignment and morphological asymmetry. The importance of spinopelvic parameters has been
reported when defining sagittal balance in scoliosis. The European Society of Scoliosis
Orthopedics and Rehabilitation (SOSORT) recommends scoliosis-specific exercises in addition
to bracing for scoliosis. It has been reported that the progression of the curve is very
rapid if there is a progression of 5.4 degrees and above in the measurements taken every 6
months for curves of 25 degrees and above and these people should be included in the
treatment. Although bracing is a difficult treatment to accept in some children, the
acceptance of exercise therapy is higher. Schroth exercises are specialized exercises for
scoliosis and have been reported to reduce the Cobb angle of curvature, improve neuromotor
control, increase respiratory function and back flexibility, and improve cosmetic appearance.
The Schroth method includes scoliosis-specific sensorimotor, posture and breathing exercises,
and provides the prevention of 3-dimensional spinal deformities in the spine by the formation
of postural realignment in people with AIS. With the autocorrection included in the method,
self-elongation and postural correction are provided to each curvature pattern and the
person's muscle imbalance is balanced. It has been reported that with Schroth exercises,
muscle strength and flexibility are increased, the Cobb angle is improved, and surgery rates
are reduced. Schreiber et al. reported a significant difference in pain, curvature
progression and body awareness in the intervention group in which they included 50 people
with AIS, compared to the control group. In this study, in which the endurance of the back
muscles was evaluated for the first time, the Schroth intervention group showed improvement.
In another study by Schreiber et al., it was reported that Schroth exercises had positive
effects on reducing the progression of the curvature. Although it has been reported that the
strength of the back muscles is increased with schroth exercises, there is no study in the
literature reporting the relationship between pelvic floor muscles and schroth exercises in
individuals with scoliosis. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of the
Schroth method on pelvic floor muscle activity and pelvic asymmetry in people with AIS.
