Bridging Motor Learning Principles with Physiotherapy Specific Scoliosis Exercises: a Perspective Article

Abstract

Aim

This perspective paper illustrates the usefulness of explicitly integrating motor learning terminology with evolving therapeutic approaches. Physiotherapy specific scoliosis exercises (PSSEs) include a growing number of approaches to scoliosis management and serve as an example of this integration.

Methods

Three quintessential patient cases (a young hypermobile adolescent, a post-pubescent teen, and an adult with childhood diagnosis of scoliosis) serve to contrast the clinical decision-making process for a PSSE plan of care when organized within a motor learning framework.

Conclusions and implications

As intervention approaches evolve, aligning the unique terminologies from different schools of thought with motor learning constructs would provide a common language for clinicians, academics and researchers to facilitate comparison of approaches and organize intervention care plans. Linking a motor learning framework and terminology to PSSE may facilitate comparison of PSSE treatment approaches by clinicians, academics, and researchers, as well as advance the global quality of care for patients with scoliosis.

Keywords:

• Motor learning and control
• physiotherapeutic scoliosis specific exercises
• scoliosis
• spine
• therapeutic exercise

Disclosure statement

This work is the original work of the authors and is not under review by any other journal. The first author is a certified Schroth practitioner whose private practice focuses heavily on scoliosis rehabilitation. No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.

Notes on contributors

Marissa Muccio

Marissa Muccio, PT, is at Division of PRNY PC, Scoliosis Specialty Center, Totowa, NJ, USA.

Osnat Atun-Einy

Osnat Atun-Einy, PT, PhD, is at Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Social Welfare and Health Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel.

Michal Kafri

Michal Kafri, PT, PhD, is at Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Social Welfare and Health Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel.

Sandra L. Kaplan

Sandra L. Kaplan, PT, DPT, PhD, FAPTA, is at Department of Rehabilitation and Movement Science, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ, USA.