Schroth therapy and modern scoliosis bracing

Schroth therapy

Schroth Therapy is celebrated worldwide as a leading approach for the conservative (i.e. non-surgical) management of scoliosis. It combines corrective breathing, posture correction, and rehabilitation. It can be used on its own or alongside other treatments, such as Chêneau bracing, to provide holistic care.

The method was pioneered by Katharina Schroth, born in 1894 in Dresden, Germany. By the age of 16, Katharina was dealing with moderate scoliosis herself. Frustrated with the heavy and restrictive steel brace she was prescribed, she took matters into her own hands. Inspired by her condition, she created a revolutionary approach that combined corrective breathing techniques with guided postural exercises. Standing in front of a mirror, she developed her signature method of over-corrective positioning.

By 1921, Katharina was sharing her innovative method with others, opening her own clinic where patients could benefit from her unique combination of posture correction, breathing patterns, and rehabilitation exercises. Over time, her work expanded. Together with her daughter, Christa Lehnert-Schroth, she established a renowned institute in Bad Sobernheim, West Germany. By the 1980s, this facility, the Asklepios Katharina Schroth Klinik, was treating up to 150 inpatients at a time, cementing its place as a global hub for scoliosis care.

Dr Chêneau: Innovator of the modern scoliosis brace

Dr Jacques Chêneau, a French orthopaedic surgeon, made groundbreaking strides in scoliosis treatment. His work was focused on achieving better in-brace correction, which not only stabilised the spine but actively improved its alignment.

Dr Chêneau’s contributions became deeply connected with the Schroth method. After visiting Katharina Schroth and her daughter at their celebrated clinic in Germany, he was inspired by the effectiveness of the Schroth breathing techniques. Incorporating these principles, he designed braces tailored to the augmented Lehnert-Schroth curve classifications, which have been fundamental to scoliosis treatment ever since.

The Chêneau brace

In 1979, Dr. Chêneau introduced the Chêneau brace, a breakthrough in scoliosis care. Acknowledging that scoliosis is a three-dimensional condition, this new brace targeted correction across all planes of the spine:

• the coronal plane (front view)
• the transverse plane (rotational alignment)
• the sagittal plane (side view)

What sets the Chêneau brace apart is its asymmetrical design, which allows for active Schroth corrective breathing while the brace is worn. Using strategic pressure zones and expansion areas helps guide the spine into a healthier, more natural position.

At the London Orthotic Consultancy, we’ve embraced these same principles in designing our own scoliosis brace, providing patients with the benefits of this time-tested approach combined with modern advancements.

Clinical research into scoliosis bracing treatment

There is growing evidence showing the significant benefits of combining 3D bracing (based on Chêneau principles) with Schroth therapy to treat scoliosis.

Below are links to research papers highlighting how this approach can effectively manage scoliosis and reduce the need for spinal surgery.

We have also published and presented our own clinical research into scoliosis bracing at conferences around the world.