Does the Aquatic Breathing Program Improve Lung Function in Adolescents with Scoliosis?

Area of Science:

• Physiotherapy
• Pulmonary Medicine
• Adolescent Health

Background:

• Scoliosis, a spinal condition, can impact respiratory function in adolescents.
• Physiotherapeutic scoliosis-specific exercises (PSSE) are used to manage scoliosis.
• The effectiveness of specific aquatic programs for pulmonary improvement in this population requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the efficacy of the Aquatic Breathing Program (ABP) versus corrective swimming (CS) in improving pulmonary parameters in adolescents with scoliosis.
• To assess changes in spirometric measurements after a three-week intervention.

Main Methods:

• A pretest-posttest control group design was employed.
• Two groups of adolescents with mild to moderate scoliosis participated: ABP group (n=13) and CS group (n=10).
• Intervention involved three weeks of corrective, general, and aquatic exercises, with spirometry performed pre- and post-intervention.

Main Results:

• The ABP group showed a statistically significant greater increase in forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) and maximal expiratory flow at 25% of forced vital capacity (MEF25) compared to the CS group.
• The CS group exhibited decreased values in measured pulmonary parameters post-intervention.
• Improvements in ABP group were observed in both absolute and percentage predicted values for FEV1 and MEF25.

Conclusions:

• The Aquatic Breathing Program is an effective intervention for improving lung function in adolescents with mild to moderate scoliosis.
• ABP demonstrates superior outcomes in enhancing pulmonary parameters compared to corrective swimming.
• Aquatic-based exercises, specifically the ABP, offer a promising approach for respiratory rehabilitation in adolescents with scoliosis.