Effect of a Brace on the Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis Breathing

Scoliosis is a 3D deformity of the spine with curvatures occurring in the three planes of space.

The brace is widely used for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. The Cheneau-Toulouse-Munster (CTM) brace is a rigid brace, classically indicated for thoracic and lumbar curves. However, scoliosis induces structural deformation of the rib cage. This can lead to changes in thoracic volume associated with a respiratory disorder, mainly restrictive. But the effect of bracing on pulmonary function currently remains unclear.

Few studies in the literature have looked at the impact of the brace on lung function. In those studies, the findings were based on Pulmonary Function Test (PFT) results only. In the CTM biomec study, the investigators propose to evaluate lung function by PFT associated with biplanar radiography using EOS® system, which allows 3D modelling of the rib cage. An additional evaluation of the pressure forces of the CTM brace, using a connected t-shirt, will be carried out to better understand the biomechanics of the brace. It will allow us to observe the stress surfaces on the thorax during the respiratory cycle and to compare them with the adaptation kinematics of the thoracic cage.

Inclusion criteria

• Adolescent girls aged 12 to 16
• With a right thoracic or thoraco-lumbar curvature (right and left)
• With a Cobb angle between 20 and 40°.
• Treated with a Cheneau-Toulouse-Munster brace for more than 1 month
• With a duration of brace wearing of more than 12/24h
• Affiliated to a social security system

Exclusion criteria

• Male gender
• Having a secondary scoliosis (neuromuscular, syndromic, post-traumatic, congenital pathology)
• Having a respiratory pathology prior to the diagnosis of scoliosis
• Have a history of spinal surgery
• Having already benefited from a brace treatment