A Randomized Clinical Trial of Brace Treatment

Brace treatment is the most effective non-surgical method for the treatment of Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS). The goal of bracing is to stop the curve progression during the high risk period of the adolescent growth spurt. A spinal brace is a hard plastic shell with pressure pads installed inside the liner to provide mechanical support to the curvature of the spine. It is a big commitment for adolescents to wear a brace because it is physically restrictive, uncomfortable and draws unwanted attention. Therefore, it is very important to make the brace treatment as effective as possible to get patient buy-in to compromise their lifestyle by wearing a brace. Patients\' belief in the treatment outcomes is also a factor to attain their compliance. This randomized clinical study will investigate if the effectiveness of brace treatment can be maximized by combining ultrasound imaging assistance during brace design with the smart brace to automatically maintain corrective brace pressures at the optimum level during the whole treatment period.