title: 2011 SOSORT guidelines: Orthopaedic and Rehabilitation treatment of idiopathic scoliosis during growth.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The International Scientific Society on Scoliosis Orthopaedic and Rehabilitation Treatment (SOSORT), that produced its first Guidelines in 2005, felt the need to revise them and increase their scientific quality. The aim is to offer to all professionals and their patients an evidence-based updated review of the actual evidence on conservative treatment of idiopathic scoliosis (CTIS).
  
  
  METHODS
  All types of professionals (specialty physicians, and allied health professionals) engaged in CTIS have been involved together with a methodologist and a patient representative. A review of all the relevant literature and of the existing Guidelines have been performed. Documents, recommendations, and practical approach flow charts have been developed according to a Delphi procedure. A methodological and practical review has been made, and a final Consensus Session was held during the 2011 Barcelona SOSORT Meeting.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The contents of the document are: methodology; generalities on idiopathic scoliosis; approach to CTIS in different patients, with practical flow-charts; literature review and recommendations on assessment, bracing, physiotherapy, Physiotherapeutic Specific Exercises (PSE) and other CTIS. Sixty-five recommendations have been given, divided in the following topics: Bracing (20 recommendations), PSE to prevent scoliosis progression during growth (8), PSE during brace treatment and surgical therapy (5), Other conservative treatments (3), Respiratory function and exercises (3), Sports activities (6), Assessment (20). No recommendations reached a Strength of Evidence level I; 2 were level II; 7 level III; and 20 level IV; through the Consensus procedure 26 reached level V and 10 level VI. The Strength of Recommendations was Grade A for 13, B for 49 and C for 3; none had grade D.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These Guidelines have been a big effort of SOSORT to paint the actual situation of CTIS, starting from the evidence, and filling all the gray areas using a scientific method. According to results, it is possible to understand the lack of research in general on CTIS. SOSORT invites researchers to join, and clinicians to develop good research strategies to allow in the future to support or refute these recommendations according to new and stronger evidence.
authors.affiliation: Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Brescia, Italy. stefano.negrini@med.unibs.it.
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Negrini
authors.forename: Angelo G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Aulisa
authors.forename: Lorenzo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Aulisa
authors.forename: Alin B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Circo
authors.forename: Jean Claude
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: de Mauroy
authors.forename: Jacek
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Durmala
authors.forename: Theodoros B
authors.initials: TB
authors.lastname: Grivas
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Knott
authors.forename: Tomasz
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kotwicki
authors.forename: Toru
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Maruyama
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Minozzi
authors.forename: Joseph P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: O'Brien
authors.forename: Dimitris
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Papadopoulos
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rigo
authors.forename: Charles H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Rivard
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Romano
authors.forename: James H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Wynne
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Villagrasa
authors.forename: Hans-Rudolf
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Weiss
authors.forename: Fabio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zaina