Table 1.

The similarities and the differences between the methods

School name	Treatment indication	Age treated	Principles of correction	Classification system	Breathing technique	Mobilization and flexibility	Brace used	Evidence
Lyon (France)	SOSORT 2011 guidelines	* Juvenile Adolescent ** Adult	Focuses on physical therapy exercises in preparation for brace wearing and in brace	Ponseti Lenke	Rotational angular breathing (RAB)	Encouraging thoracic kyphosis and lumbar lordosis	3D ARTbrace (Asymmetrical Rigid Torsion brace)	De Mauroy JC et al. Scoliosis. 2015;10:26
Schroth (Germany)	SOSORT 2011 guidelines	* Early onset * Juvenile Adolescent ** Adult	Reshape the thorax through isometric muscle activation around the prominences (the convexities) and a specific breathing technique (called rotational angular breathing (RAB) or simply orthopedic breathing) in the collapsed areas (the concavities)	Katharina Schroth’s Body Blocks	Rotational angular breathing (RAB)	Rib cage, spine mobilization and lower extremities flexibility	3D Chêneau brace	RCT - Schreiber S et al. Scoliosis. 2015;10:24 Weiss H et al. Hard Tissue. 2013; 2(3): 27 RCT - Kuru T et al. Clinil Rehabil. 2015 Weiss HR et al. Stud Health Technol Inform. 2002;91:342–7
Scientific Exercise Approach to Scoliosis (SES) (Italy)	SOSORT 2011 guidelines	Same treatment objectives for all ages	Educates and trains patients to actively self-correct their posture and to incorporate that self-correction into functional exercises	Ponseti	Rotational angular breathing (RAB)	Pre-bracing mobilization	3D Sibilla brace (Cobb <30°) Sforzesco brace (Cobb 30°–50°)	RCT - Monticone M et al. Eur Spine J. 2014;23(6):1204–14 Negrini S et al. Disability and Rehabilitation 2008;30(10):772–785
Barcelona Scoliosis Physical Therapy School (BSPTS) (Spain)	SOSORT 2011 guidelines	* Juvenile Adolescent ** Adult	Based on the original principles of correction established by Katharina Schroth. Like the Schroth method, the school’s aim to improve the scoliotic posture via muscle activation and the RAB technique mentioned above.	Katharina Schroth’s Body Blocks and Manuel Rigo’s radiological classification	Rotational angular breathing (RAB)	Rib cage, spine and lower extremities flexibility	3D Rigo Chêneau brace	Schroth evidence above plus: Rigo M et al. Scoliosis 2010,5:1 Otman SN et al. Saudi Med J. 2005; 26(9): 1429–35
Dobomed (Poland)	SOSORT 2011 guidelines	Same treatment objectives for all ages	Involves mobilization of the primary curve toward curve correction with a special emphasis on ‘kyphotization’ of the thoracic spine and/or ‘lordotization’ of the lumbar spine in closed kinetic chains	Dobomed	Specific Rotational angular breathing in a ‘phased-lock’ respiration technique	Increase thoracic spine kyphosis and lumbar lordosis	3D Cheneau brace	Durmala J et al. Ortop Traumatol Rehabil. 2003;5(l):80–5 Durmala J et al. Scoliosis. 2009;4(Suppl 2):029
Side-Shift (United Kingdom)	SOSORT 2011 guidelines	Adolescent ** Adult	Built on the theory that a flexible curve can be stabilized with lateral movements and that repetitive side movements of the trunk will correct the lateral deviation of the trunk along with the coronal plane	King	Rotational angular breathing (RAB)	Principles of Maitland and myofascial release techniques	Unspecified
Functional Individual Therapy of Scoliosis (FITS) (Poland)	SOSORT 2011 guidelines	Juvenile Adolescent ** Adult	Based on a number of physiotherapeutic techniques that were selected and adapted specifically for the treatment of scoliosis. Examples are Proprioception Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF) and myofascial release techniques	No traditional classification system	3D corrective breathing into the concavities	Mobilization and myofascial techniques to eliminate myofascial restrictions	3D Cheneau brace	Białek M. Scoliosis. 2011;28;6(1):25 Białek M. Medicine. 2015;94(20):e863

* Exercises are modified to allow participation of young children

** Exercises are modified and focus on reduction of pain