Evaluation of the Immediate Effect of Trunk bracing on the Energy Expenditure of Walking in Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis Patients

Scoliosis is one of the musculoskeletal disorders which influences the performance of patients when walking. There is not enough information available regarding the influence of orthosis on the energy consumption of scoliotic patients while walking. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of orthosis on energy consumption.
This is an uncontrolled before and after study (quazi-experimental). Ten scoliotic patients and 10 normal subjects with comparable age, height and weight were recruited in this study. Energy consumption of walking was obtained from the scoliotic patients in two conditions: with and without orthosis as well as from the normal subjects without orthosis and it was evaluated using polar Electro Finland heart rate monitor. The heart rate during resting and walking and the speed of walking were the parameters used for energy consumption based on physiological cost index.
The energy consumption of scoliotic subjects during walking based on PCI (physiological cost index) and THBI (total heart beat index) were higher than that of normal subjects, but the difference was not significant (P >0.05). Trunk bracing induced a little reduction of energy consumption and increased the gait efficiency of scoliotic patients.
The results of this research showed that there was no significant difference between the PCI and THBI of normal and scoliotic subjects. Bracing had no significant effect on gait efficiency of scoliotic patients (p >0.05).