Virtual Reality-based Schroth Exercise Versus Traditional Schroth Exercise on Trunk Kinematics in Scoliosis

Physiotherapeutic scoliosis‐specific exercises (PSSE), particularly the Schroth method,are widely recommended as a first‐line conservative treatment for adolescent idiopathicscoliosis and have demonstrated effectiveness in reducing curve progression, improvingposture, and enhancing quality of life. However, the long‐term success of Schrothrehabilitation is highly dependent on patient adherence and the accurate execution ofcomplex three‐dimensional corrective postures, which remain challenging for adolescentsto maintain outside supervised clinical settings.Poor adherence to traditional Schroth programs has been reported, with rates rangingbetween 30% and 50%, limiting the real‐world effectiveness of conservative scoliosismanagement. Adolescents frequently report low motivation, boredom, and difficultyunderstanding or maintaining corrective postures without continuous feedback, whichcompromises motor learning and postural control.Digital rehabilitation technologies, particularly virtual reality (VR), have emerged aspromising tools to enhance engagement, motivation, and motor learning in rehabilitationprograms. VR‐based exercise has demonstrated positive effects on adherence, movementaccuracy, and postural awareness in neurological and musculoskeletal rehabilitation.Immersive VR platforms provide real‐time visual and auditory feedback and promotetask‐oriented training in an engaging gaming environment, which is particularly suitablefor adolescent populations.To date, no randomized controlled trial has directly compared immersive high‐end VRplatforms with low‐cost mobile VR solutions for the delivery of scoliosis‐specificexercises, nor has any study quantified real‐time trunk kinematics during VR‐guidedSchroth rehabilitation using Wearable inertial measurement units (IMUs) technology.Evaluating these interventions may provide clinicians with valuable insight intocost‐effective, scalable, and engaging rehabilitation strategies for adolescents withidiopathic scoliosis, particularly in resource‐limited healthcare settings