Spinal flexibility in scoliosis: roots “bending” to antiquity

Abstract

Scoliosis is a common spinal deformity affecting individuals worldwide. In recent times, much attention has been devoted to the “flexibility” of the scoliotic curve to assist in determining management options for curve correction and their outcomes. In individuals with scoliosis, various methods using radiographic imaging have been proposed to assess the flexibility of the spine, such as the supine bending, traction, push-prone, and fulcrum-bending radiographs [1–3]. Many of these methods use traction techniques or active/static forces to assess the curve's flexibility.