Six-Month Therapeutic Program and Trunk Rotation in Girls Aged 8-11

The study was conducted in a population of girls aged 8-11 years identified through a school-based screening program for posture disorders. Following the informed consent procedures, 66 girls meeting all eligibility criteria were enrolled in the intervention phase.

Participants were assigned to one of three groups:

• an individual therapy group undergoing physiotherapy in accordance with the principles of Functional Individual Therapy of Scoliosis (FITS),
• a group therapy group participating in group corrective exercises, and
• a control group remaining under observation without therapeutic intervention.

Posture assessment was performed before and after a 6-month intervention period. The angle of trunk rotation was measured using a scoliometer. A three-dimensional, non-invasive assessment of body posture and spinal alignment in the transverse plane was conducted using the DIERS Formetric 4D system. The evaluated parameters included trunk surface rotation, vertebral rotation, and selected rotational parameters of the thoracic and lumbar spine segments.

The individual FITS therapy was conducted according to standardized methodological principles and was tailored to the specific postural characteristics of each participant. Group corrective exercises were performed according to an established corrective exercise program appropriate for children with posture disorders. The observation group did not participate in any structured therapeutic intervention during the study period.

After completion of the 6-month intervention, all baseline measurements were repeated under identical conditions. The collected data allowed for the evaluation of changes in posture parameters within and between groups, enabling an assessment of the effectiveness of individual and group physiotherapy interventions in improving posture disorders and supporting early scoliosis prevention in children.

Inclusion criteria

• female gender
• age 8-11 years
• before or up to six months after the onset of the first menstruation
• ATR 3-6 degrees
• no diagnosed orthopaedic, neurological or viral diseases
• written consent of parents and/or legal guardians to participate in the project

Exclusion criteria

• ATR below 3 and/or above 6 degrees
• visible structural abnormalities
• neurological, neuromuscular or cardiovascular diseases
• congenital defects
• scoliosis
• Scheuermann's disease
• diagnosed anatomical leg length discrepancy of less than 2.5 cm
• poor psychophysical condition
• elevated body temperature
• back or lower limb surgery
• spina bifida
• intellectual disability
• genetic conditions
• lack of written consent for testing.