NCT07516574

Pre-op Exercise for AIS Surgery

Pre-operative Flexibility Exercises for Surgery for Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis

• Status: Enrolling By Invitation
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 40 (estimated)
• Sponsor: Eric Parent · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 10 Years – 18 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

The goal of this clinical trial is to determine if pre-operative scoliosis-specific exercises have a beneficial effect on the health outcomes of surgery for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis affects adolescents between the age of 10-18. The main questions this study aims to answer are: * Can pre-operative exercises help reduce curve progression prior to surgery? * Can pre-operative exercises help improve the surgery outcomes, such as a lower number of vertebrae needing fusion, increased curve correction, reduced surgery length, and shorter length of stay in the hospital? * Can a pre-operative exercise intervention result in a reduction of the cost of surgery? Researchers will compare the current standard of care (the control group) to an intervention group (with pre-op exercises) to see if pre-op exercises have an effect on these outcomes. Participants will: * visit the clinic every 3 months to complete ultrasound imaging scans and questionnaires * if given an exercise intervention, aim to complete it for roughly 30 minutes a day

Conditions

• Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis (AIS)

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	Pre-op Exercise Program	The pre-op exercise group will complete a 6-month supervised pre-op exercise program. This program is adapted from the Schroth exercise program we tested for moderate scoliosis, showing good effect on curve angles, muscle endurance, posture, curve severity, and in self-reported pain and QOL scores. This physiotherapy will individualize exercises to specific spinal curvature(s). Exercises will focus on elongating and derotating the spine to improve the flexibility before surgery. The corrective movements required, the targeted curve type, the level of passive support involved, and the dosages recommended, have been published previously. A Schroth curve classification algorithm and algorithms to guide the prescription for the curve type will help standardize treatment. The program begins with 5 supervised visits in the first 2 weeks to help learn the exercises. The following month has supervised visits weekly and then every other week. The aim is to exercise 30mins per day 5x/week.

Timeline

• Start date: 2025-11-26
• Primary completion: 2028-12-01
• Completion: 2028-12-01
• First posted: 2026-04-08
• Last updated: 2026-04-08

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Canada