Briefly about the Schroth method
The Schroth method is a system of exercises for scoliosis. It was developed in the 1920s by Katharina Schroth (1894-1985), and further developed by her daughter Christa Lehnert-Schroth. By the 1960s the Schroth Method had become the standard non-surgical treatment for scoliosis in Germany. Schroth treatment is currently supported in Germany by the federal health insurance system, and German orthopedic surgeons routinely refer patients for Schroth scoliosis exercise therapy. Apart from the specialized clinics, physiotherapists from Europe, parts of the Middle East and USA, which are certificated in Schroth, offer this type of the scoliosis therapy.
The Schroth method treats all aspects of tridimensional deformity. The exercises are adjusted individually to each patient depending on the specific curve pattern. Therefore, it is necessary that the physiotherapist using his previous knowledge and experience apply the principles of correction on the individual basis for each patient. At the beginning the specific scoliosis classification was simple. There were described three and four curve scoliosis pattern. First one referred on cases with one structural and two functional curves, and the second one cases with two structural and two functional, compensatory curves. The figure 1 and 2 are of the great importance for understanding this classification. We can clearly see how different segments of the trunk are changing their shape from rectangular to trapezoid, translating to the side and rotating one opposite the other. K. Schroth was also the first one who described and used rotational breathing in the scoliosis therapy. Together with already achieved auto-elongation of the trunk and deflection (correction in the frontal plane), rotational breathing contributes to specific detorsion of different parts of the trunk.
Figure 1. Schematic diagram of scoliosis with the three curves
Figure 2. Schematic diagram of scoliosis with the four curves
Furthermore, muscle activation is never done separately for each muscle group (abdominal, back muscles, etc.) because in that case it would impossible to reach the maximal correction of the deformity. So, the goal is to achieve the best possible correction and then to maintain and stabilize it with the muscle activation. These exercises are also changing the postural scheme in the brain. Namely, a scoliosis patient feels nice with his scoliotic posture, while the corrected posture is uncomfortable for him/her. The Schroth method aims to make the patient aware of his scoliotic posture, so he/she can maintain at least minimum of correction during daily activities. Finally, the constant repetition of the exercises will make him/her feel uncomfortable without correction.