Outcome measurement of scoliosis rehabilitation by use of surface topography

The aim of this study was to investigate whether it is possible to show the result of a rehabilitation program by means of surface reconstruction of the trunk. In our rehabilitation center we used the Formetric system to measure 1454 patients with scoliosis without brace before and after a 4-6 week rehabilitation period. The ratio male:female was about 1:5 with a curvature angle of 37 degrees according to Cobb and an average age of 21 years. We compared the Formetric data for average lateral deviation, maximal deviation, average rotation, maximal rotation, and of the trunk index (measure for all curves) before and after the rehabilitation with the t-test. The values for average and maximal lateral deviation showed a highly significant decrease after the in-patient rehabilitation phase from 12.4 / 22.6 to 11.5 1 21.4 mm, The same applies for the trunk index as a measure for the correction of ail existing curves. The average surface rotation was not significantly reduced (From 6.4 degrees to 6.3 degrees). whereas maximal rotation did decrease significantly fi-om 12.1 degrees to 12.0 degrees. Automated surface measurement of the trunk seems to be appropriate for quality management in the rehabilitation of patients with spinal deformities, although one cannot exclude errors, and thus small changes in the pasture cannot be quantified in individual cases.