The Effect of Electrical Muscle Stimulation (EMS) Enhanced Schroth Method Training on Cobb Angle and Quality of Life in Patients with Scoliosis

Abstract

Aim: Different treatment models are applied in cases that affect the quality of life of individuals with scoliosis. It has been stated that exercise applications, especially used in addition to physical therapy, are effective in the treatment process of patients with scoliosis. In recent years, Electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) has been used to increase the performance of athletes. Accordingly, this study was planned to examine the effect of Electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) application on scoliosis cobb angle and quality of life in patients with scoliosis.

Methods: Twenty-four female scoliosis patients with scoliosis Cobb angle between 250 and 400 in the thoracic region between the ages of 14-26 participated in the study. The patients participating in the study were divided into three different groups as EMS Schroth exercise group (EMSS=8), Schroth exercise group (SE=8) and control group (CG=8). In addition, height, body weight, body mass index (BMI), Cobb angle measurements were taken for each group before and after the study. Scoliosis Research Society 22 scale (SRS-22) was used for these measurements. SPSS 25 statistical package program was used to evaluate the data. Since the data were not normally distributed, Mann Whitney U-test was used for pairwise comparisons. Kruskal Wallis H-tests were used to compare more than two groups. The level of significance was accepted as P<0.05 in the evaluations.

Results: It was determined that there was no statistically significant difference between the age, weight, height and BMI of the EMSS, SE and CG participants and it was found that the EMSS cobb angle decreased statistically. Also, it was stated that there was a stable and very slight decrease in the SE cobb angle. It was determined that there was a statistically significant difference in the negative direction in the CG cobb angle. It was determined that there was a significant change in SRS-22 scale values in all sub-dimensions of EMSS and SE, and there was no statistically significant difference in the pre-test and post-test mean scores of the other sub dimensions except the pain sub-dimension of the CG scale.

Conclusion: EMS exercises will save time in terms of faster recovery of patients in the treatment of scoliosis. Besides, it will be very beneficial in terms of time and cost by shortening the rehabilitation period of athletes after sports injuries.