Assessment of Pelvic Floor Muscle Activation in Adolescents With Idiopathic Scoliosis

Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis is a three-dimensional deformity of the spine with a curvature of at least 10° on radiography, accompanied by rotation, seen in children aged 10-18 years, the cause of which is unknown. The pelvic floor consists of muscles and connective tissue in the shape of an equilateral triangle bounded by the symphysis pubis at the front, the sacrum at the back, and the ischial spines at the sides. The pelvic floor supports the pelvic organs, controls intra-abdominal pressure, maintains urinary and faecal control, and provides dynamic support to the body in conjunction with other core muscles. The aim of our study is to investigate pelvic floor muscle activation in adolescents with idiopathic scoliosis.

Our study will include volunteers diagnosed with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis at Istanbul Gaziosmanpaşa Training and Research Hospital who have been referred to the Spine Unit of Gaziosmanpaşa Physical Therapy Training and Research Hospital for control purposes (presence of scoliosis in the family, postural abnormalities in appearance). X-rays will be taken, and volunteers with Cobb angles below 10 degrees will be included. Taking into account a 15% loss of the calculated sample, a total of 19 patients will be included in the study. The study group will consist of individuals diagnosed with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis, and the control group will consist of healthy individuals without spinal deformities. Each individual who agrees to participate in the study will undergo evaluations. For the study group, evaluations will include Cobb angle (radiography), trunk rotation angle (forward bending test), pelvic floor muscle activation (Neurotrac Myoplus 4 Pro) for both groups, and health-related quality of life (Paediatric Quality of Life Inventory).

Descriptive information form: The age, gender, height, weight, body mass index, age at menarche, time of initial diagnosis, how it was detected (medical history), family history (genealogy), dominant hand use, exercise habits (type of sport and duration), and corset use of individuals participating in the study will be recorded.

Health-Related Quality of Life Assessment: The Paediatric Quality of Life Inventory is a valid and reliable health-related quality of life questionnaire used for children. This inventory, which has been adapted into Turkish, consists of two forms for children and families. Both forms include sections on physical functioning (8 items), emotional functioning (5 items), social functioning (5 items), and school functioning (5 items). Scoring is done on a scale of 0-5 for each question (0 = Never causes a problem, 1 = Rarely causes a problem, 2 = Sometimes causes a problem, 3 = Often causes a problem, and 4 = Always causes a problem). The total score of the inventory ranges from 0 to 100 points (0 = 100, 1 = 75, 2 = 50, 3 = 25, 4 = 0). A high score indicates better health-related quality of life. Since our study population is aged 10-18, the inventories developed for the 8-12 and 13-18 age groups will be used.

Trunk rotation angle: The Adam's Forward Bend Test is used as the primary assessment test in the clinical examination of scoliosis patients. In our study, the scoliometer assessment will be performed on the study group while the subjects are standing with equal weight on both feet. Patients will be asked to bend forward so that their shoulder level is aligned with their hip level (body parallel to the ground), and measurements will be taken with the scoliometer, with the highest degree recorded. The Baseline Scoliometer will be used for evaluations.