Orthopedic treatment of children with scoliosis: what are the consequences on muscular force?

Methods The study included 18 teenagers, mean age of 12.75 +/1.66 affected by a progressed idiopathic scoliosis, with mean Cobb angle of 29 +/10 degrees at Risser 0 to 3. A Cybex dynamometer was used to measure isokinetic trunk, and knee muscle strength, before the start of orthopedic treatment and 6 months after treatment commenced. The isokinetic parameters measured were the maximum momentum for the flexor and extensor muscles, of the trunk, and knee, at different angular velocities, as well as the agonist/antagonist ratios. Seven healthy subjects of comparable age (12.57 +/1.27) served as a control group, evaluated just at the first stage of the study. The statistical analysis included averages, standard deviation, and student test.