What Is the Schroth Method for Scoliosis?

The Schroth method of physical therapy uses individualized exercises to elongate, stabilize, and correct the rotation of your spine. Your doctor or physical therapist (PT) will customize exercises for you.

Scoliosis is a type of skeletal condition characterized by curvatures and twists in your spine that cause it to have an S or C shape. Most people with scoliosis get a diagnosis in childhood, and sometimes, the natural course of development will improve mild scoliosis over time.

To treat scoliosis, your doctor might recommend physical therapy, bracing, and surgery. The Schroth method for scoliosis is one type of physical therapy that you can use alone or alongside other treatments.

Read on to learn more about the Schroth method for scoliosis.

What it is and how it works

The Schroth method is a physical therapy approach developed by Katharina Schroth. She wasn’t a doctor, but Schroth was born with scoliosis and used her own body to experiment with different movements and exercises to help relieve her symptoms.

In 1921 , she founded the Schroth clinic in Germany. Her daughter, Christa Lehnert-Schroth, later advanced her work. She was a PT who made the Schroth method internationally known.

The method includes strength training, posture awareness, and breathing. Your doctor or PT will customize exercises specifically for your spine’s curvature.

Your treatment plan will follow a three-step process that begins with pelvic posture corrections. Because the base of your spine rests on your pelvis, correcting pelvic posture lays the foundation for proper spinal alignment overall.

Spinal elongation techniques and rotational angular breathing exercises (RABs) encourage the ribs and spine into the correct position, decompress your vertebrae, and improve mobility. The deep, conscious breathing of RABs helps expand collapsed areas of your rib cage, supporting spinal elongation while improving breathing.

The final step of the Schroth method involves targeted tensing of the front, back, and side muscles of your upper body to build muscle support for your spinal alignment.

Although it was originally developed for scoliosis treatment, the Schroth method can also help address other conditions with spinal curvature. One example is kyphosis , which is severe front-to-back curvature.

How effective is it?

The Schroth method is one of the most common scoliosis-specific physical therapy interventions and is considered an evidence-based approach to treatment.

A 2022 meta-analysis found that the method had a moderate to large positive effect in the treatment of scoliosis. And a 2023 analysis concluded that, as a stand-alone treatment, the method could improve Cobb angle (the degree of lateral spine curvature), trunk rotation angle, and overall quality of life.

It’s also been shown to be effective as a long-term treatment option. One 2023 study followed people for at least 2 years after their treatment and found that, in combination with supportive bracing , the Schroth method successfully improved scoliosis in growing children.

Who is a good candidate?

Anyone with scoliosis can use the Schroth method. You can apply it on its own for mild presentations or alongside bracing and surgery for more severe curvature correction.

Your doctor considers many factors when deciding whether the Schroth method is right for you. Your age, the severity of your scoliosis , any underlying health conditions you have, and your ability to keep up with exercises on your own are all important factors.

Examples of exercises

The Schroth method for scoliosis is a customized therapy. Exercises will be different for each person because they’re based on the specific curvatures in your spine.

Examples of possible exercises include:

• Mirror-guided pelvic alignment: This helps visually train you on how to achieve correct pelvic posture.
• Pelvic tilts: These are forward and backward movements of the pelvis that build stabilization and posture awareness.
• Prone leg lifts: You’ll perform alternating leg lifts while lying on your stomach to strengthen your back muscles.
• RABs: This is continuous breathing in a position of spinal alignment that expands the rib cage and helps build mobility and spinal elongation.
• Banded exercises: These are resistance movements using therapeutic bands that strengthen the muscles of your front, back, and side torso.
• Bird-dog exercise: You’ll do this from your hands and knees, extending the opposite arm and leg and holding that position for several seconds.
• Core stabilization: These are a variety of movements that you’ll perform on an exercise ball or another moving therapy tool to help strengthen the muscles of your core.

However, the Schroth method isn’t just about active movements. It also involves posture awareness at all times, which means paying attention to proper spinal alignment when you’re sitting, walking, and going about your regular daily activities.

Finding a physical therapist

PTs are medical professionals who specialize in conditions of functional movement.

If you’re looking for a PT, your doctor can make a recommendation, or you can reach out to your health insurance company to learn about professionals within your network. Some states may need a referral from your doctor before you can schedule a visit, so speaking with your primary care team is often a good place to start.

You can search for licensed PTs near you by visiting the American Physical Therapy Association Directory .

Can you try exercises at home?

Posture awareness, or practicing the best posture you can, is fine to do on your own. However, the Schroth method doesn’t provide universal movements to try without guidance.

Your doctor or PT will develop your personalized Schroth treatment plan, as they’re trained in which exercises are effective for different types of spine curvatures. Because the Schroth method can manipulate your spine, doing exercises without guidance could make your scoliosis symptoms worse.

Once you’ve had professional instruction, you can perform Schroth exercises and movements at home.

When to contact a doctor

Scoliosis doesn’t always cause symptoms, but if you’ve noticed unevenness in your shoulders , hips, or rib cage, or if you’re experiencing progressive back pain and breathing challenges, it may be time to visit your doctor for an evaluation.

If you’ve already had a diagnosis of scoliosis, consider visiting your doctor if you experience:

• increasing pain
• visible changes in your posture
• respiratory , cardiovascular, or neurological symptoms
• new limitations in your movement or function

As a chronic condition, scoliosis can also take a toll on your mental health. Speaking with a mental health professional can help with psychological distress, like feelings of depression or anxiety.

The bottom line

The Schroth method is a physical therapy approach to treating curvature of the spine in conditions like scoliosis and kyphosis.

Although it’s considered a common, evidence-based therapy, its customized methodology requires the guidance of a doctor or PT. Once you’re trained in the individualized exercises, you can perform them on your own.