Control of juvenile idiopathic scoliosis during pubertal growth spurt through conservative treatment: a retrospective observational study

Materials and methods Observational retrospective study. We enrolled 76 patients (65 females and 11 males) present in our database since 2003, with diagnosis of JIS. Mean age at first diagnosis was 6.37± 1.4. We considered as main indirect clinical sign of PGS the quick height growth (more than 5 cm in six months) while Risser test 1, menarche and sharp growth slowing down (2 cm in six months) were considered signs of the end of PGS. According to individual needs patients were already in treatment with physical exercises alone or with brace and physical exercises. We also clustered Risser test 0 patients in 3 groups based on Cobb degrees (under 20° , from 20° to 30° and over 30° ) and we observed radiographic modification during PGS. Outcome criteria: radiographic (Cobb degrees) and clinical (Bunnel, ATR, TRACE) parameters in PGS period; need to increase treatment load.