Abstract
BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: This is a study of adolescents with idiopathic scoliosis (IS), treated by the Functional Individual Therapy of Scoliosis (FITS) method. The hypothesis was that active parental involvement in the treatment process enhances the outcomes of therapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 208 adolescent girls with IS were examined and divided into two groups. Only in Group I were the parents present. Trunk morphology before and after was evaluated by measuring change of the Anterior Trunk Symmetry Index (ATSI), Posterior Trunk Symmetry Index (POTSI), Posterior Trunk Symmetry Index in Correction (POTSI COR), and the angle of trunk rotation (ATR). RESULTS: Statistically significant improvements in ATSI values were observed in both groups (Group I: p < 0.001; Group II: p = 0.001). POTSI values showed improvement only in Group I (p < 0.001). Similarly, POTSI COR values improved significantly in Group I (p < 0.001). ATR improved significantly better in Group I. CONCLUSION AND SIGNIFICANCE: Children with IS who underwent specific physiotherapy demonstrated better outcomes when their parents actively participated in the therapy.