Abstract
The purpose of this study was to compare the static balance of standing position between adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) and a normal group that were aged-matched. There were forty subjects included in this study. Twenty-seven healthy subjects (age, $13.9{\pm}1.2$ yrs; height, $161.9{\pm}7.5$ cm; weight, $52.2{\pm}7.7$ kg) and thirteen AIS subjects (age, $14.2{\pm}2.2$ yrs; height, $161.5{\pm}8.7$ cm; weight, $48.1{\pm}8.1$ kg) were participated in the study. The thirteen subjects in the AIS group had a major Cobb angle between $20.1^{\circ}$ and $49^{\circ}$. Each group was tested with the Balance Performance Monitor (BPM). The parameters for static balance were sway area, sway path, max velocity, mean balance, anterior-posterior angle, and left-right angle of each group with their eyes opened and again with their eyes closed. Both sides of the forward reach test and the lateral reach test were also performed on each group. Results from the BPM tested showed significantly increases in all parameters of static balance with those patients with AIS under the conditions where eyes were opened and closed. In the right and left forward reach test, there was no significant difference between normal and AIS groups. However, in the lateral reach test with right and left direction, there were significant differences between normal and AIS groups. For the normal subjects, there were significant differences in the parameters with sway path and anterior-posterior sway angle between the eyes opened and closed. However, there were no significant differences in the all parameters between eyes opened and closed for the AIS subjects. These results suggest that, balance programs could be used in the rehabilitation setting for intervention of AIS and evaluation of AIS. Further study is needed to measure many patients with AIS and other functional balance scales for clinical application.