Objectives
Exercise is a promising therapy for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) [1], yet the immediate neuromuscular effects following self-corrective interventions remain poorly understood. While previous studies have primarily investigated paraspinal muscle activity during exercise [2], little is known about the post-exercise sEMG response that could inform real-time feedback for training. This study aimed to evaluate acute changes in paraspinal muscle activation immediately after self-corrective exercise in adolescents with AIS, to explore its potential as a feedback tool in exercise therapy.
Methods
A fixed-order crossover trial was conducted with a planned sample size of 27 adolescents with AIS. All 27 participants were successfully enrolled (mean age 14.8 ± 3.9 years; 71% female). Each participant performed two postures in sequence: flexion–extension (control) and an overcorrected posture (intervention), guided by a physiotherapist. Bilateral paraspinal muscle activity was recorded using a 16-channel surface electromyography (sEMG) system immediately after each posture. The primary outcome was the change in EMG symmetry ratio between intervention and control postures.
Results
Following the overcorrective exercise, mean EMG symmetry improved by 14.3% (95% CI: 8% to 20.1%; p < 0.05) compared to the control posture, indicating a more balanced paraspinal activation pattern immediately post-intervention.
Conclusions
Immediate post-exercise sEMG symmetry is a feasible and responsive measure for assessing the acute neuromuscular effects of self-corrective exercise in AIS. Unlike previous studies focusing on sEMG during exercise, our findings suggest that post-exercise sEMG assessments can provide actionable feedback to guide training and potentially enhance adherence [3] and therapeutic outcomes in adolescent patients.