[Scoliosis And Sports]

More than three decades have passed since the German Society for Orthopaedics and Traumatology published its first recommendations on sports participation for scoliosis patients. During this period, surgical techniques have changed more substantially than non-surgical procedures. Confidence in modern pedicle screw constructs for posterior spinal correction and fusion has led to an earlier and more extensive return to sporting activities after corrective surgery, whereas the theoretically plausible advantage of newer, mobility-preserving procedures has not yet been sufficiently proven. At least for elite athletes, a return to pre-operative performance appears achievable even in the short term after surgery. However, the short follow-up periods of many studies on sports participation after scoliosis surgery may lead to an underestimation of the long-term disadvantages of fusions extending into the lumbar spine, as suggested by a Japanese study with a follow-up period of at least 10 years. Potential long-term effects of specific physiotherapeutic approaches, such as Schroth therapy, have not yet been investigated and are therefore not evident.