Long-term impact of pre-operative physical rehabilitation protocol on the 6-min walk test of patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis: A randomized clinical trial.
BACKGROUND
Monitored physical activities in patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) have been shown to improve physical performance, endurance and cardiopulmonary function and may be assessed by the 6-min walk test (6MWT). We aimed to evaluate the long-term results of the 6MWT after a rehabilitation protocol employed before surgical correction for AIS.


METHODS
This prospective randomized clinical trial studied the impact of a 4-month pre-operative physical rehabilitation protocol on post-operative cardiopulmonary function and physical endurance, by using the 6MWT, in patients with AIS submitted to surgical correction, comparing them to matched controls without physical rehabilitation. Studied variables were heart and respiratory rate, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, peripheral blood oxygen saturation, Borg score, and distance walked. Patients were assessed at baseline, after 4 months of rehabilitation, and 3, 6 and 12 months post-operatively.


RESULTS
A total of 50 patients with AIS were included in the study and allocated blindly, by simple randomization, into either one of the two groups, with 25 patients each: study group (pre-operative physical rehabilitation) and control group. The physical rehabilitation protocol promoted significant progressive improvement in heart and respiratory rate, peripheral blood oxygen saturation, distance walked, and level of effort assessed by the Borg scale after surgery.


CONCLUSIONS
Post-surgical recovery, evaluated by 6MWT, was significantly better in patients who underwent a 4-month pre-operative physical rehabilitation protocol.
Physical Therapy Department, Hospital Santa Isabel, Santa Casa de Misericórdia de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil. Electronic address: fisioterapiasc@uol.com.br.
V L
VL
Dos Santos Alves
Pneumology Department, Santa Casa de Misericórdia de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
R
R
Stirbulov
Orthopedics Department, Santa Casa de Misericórdia de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
O
O
Avanzi
D000293:Adolescent; D002985:Clinical Protocols; D005080:Exercise Test; D006801:Humans; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011659:Pulmonary Gas Exchange; D012600:Scoliosis / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000534:rehabilitation* / Q000601:surgery; D013997:Time Factors; D016138:Walking
Exercise; Exercise movement techniques; Exercise test; Exercise therapy; Scoliosis