Do adolescents with idiopathic scoliosis have body schema disorders? A cross-sectional study

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Picelli, Alessandro^a | Negrini, Stefano^b | Zenorini, Andrea^a | Iosa, Marco^c | Paolucci, Stefano^c | Smania, Nicola^{a; d; *}

Affiliations: [a] Neuromotor and Cognitive Rehabilitation Research Center, Department of Neurological and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy | [b] Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Brescia, Don Gnocchi Foundation, Brescia, Italy | [c] Clinical Laboratory of Experimental Neurorehabilitation, Santa Lucia IRCCS Foundation, Rome, Italy | [d] Neurorehabilitation Unit, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Integrata, Verona, Italy

Correspondence: [*] Corresponding author: Nicola Smania, Neuromotor and Cognitive Rehabilitation Research Center, Department of Neurological and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, P.le L.A. Scuro, 10. 37134 Verona, Italy. Tel.: +39 0458124573; Fax: +39 0458124495; E-mail:nicola.smania@univr.it

Abstract: BACKGROUND: To date etiology of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis appears complex and still remains unclear. A distorted body schema has been proposed to be a part of a sequence of pathological events in the development of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the awareness of trunk misalignment in adolescents with idiopathic scoliosis. METHODS: Information about 44 adolescents with idiopathic scoliosis was collected as follows: age; sex; handedness; family history of scoliosis; back pain; sport practice; shoulder and waist line symmetry; leg length; dorsal kyphosis; back hump; rehabilitation; scoliotic curve; Risser sign. We evaluated awareness of trunk misalignment with a graphic table displaying pictures of progressively increasing scoliotic curves. Patients were asked to indicate which picture corresponded to their perceived own spinal alignment. RESULTS: Patients with thoracolumbar scoliosis overestimated their actual thoracic spine curve. Patients with thoracic-thoracolumbar scoliosis underestimated their actual thoracolumbar spine curve and overestimated their actual lumbar spine curve. Scoliotic curve > 15°, double curve, younger age, back pain, family history of scoliosis and lower Risser score related with a misperception of trunk alignment. CONCLUSIONS: Our results support the hypothesis that adolescents with idiopathic scoliosis have an altered corporeal awareness of their trunk alignment.

Keywords: Body schema, body image, corporeal awareness, consciousness, rehabilitation

DOI: 10.3233/BMR-150602

Journal: Journal of Back and Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation, vol. 29, no. 1, pp. 89-96, 2016