Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis (AIS)NCT07516574
Pre-op Exercise for AIS Surgery
A study testing Pre-op Exercise Program in people with Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis (AIS), run by Eric Parent at 1 site in Canada.
Trial summary
The goal of this clinical trial is to determine if pre-operative scoliosis-specific exercises have a beneficial effect on the health outcomes of surgery for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis affects adolescents between the age of 10-18. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 10 to 18 years
- Conditions the study is for
- Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis (AIS)
- What is being tested?
- Pre-op Exercise Program
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 40 participants
- Where
- 1 siteCanada
- Study dates
- 26 Nov 2025to Dec 2028
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 10 to 18 years
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Child, Adult
Who may be able to join
- diagnosis of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis
- aged 10 to 18
- curve angle >40 degrees
- waitlisted for posterior spinal fusion surgery at the Stollery Hospital
Who cannot join
- previous surgeries
- current use of scoliosis-specific exercises
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
Canada1 site
Clinical Science Building, University of Alberta
Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 2R8
About this study
Official title: Pre-operative Flexibility Exercises for Surgery for Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis
The goal of this clinical trial is to determine if pre-operative scoliosis-specific exercises have a beneficial effect on the health outcomes of surgery for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis affects adolescents between the age of 10-18.
The main questions this study aims to answer are:
Read more
- Can pre-operative exercises help reduce curve progression prior to surgery?
- Can pre-operative exercises help improve the surgery outcomes, such as a lower number of vertebrae needing fusion, increased curve correction, reduced surgery length, and shorter length of stay in the hospital?
- Can a pre-operative exercise intervention result in a reduction of the cost of surgery?
Researchers will compare the current standard of care (the control group) to an intervention group (with pre-op exercises) to see if pre-op exercises have an effect on these outcomes.
Participants will:
- visit the clinic every 3 months to complete ultrasound imaging scans and questionnaires
- if given an exercise intervention, aim to complete it for roughly 30 minutes a day
- Conditions
- Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis (AIS)
- Being tested
- Pre-op Exercise Program
- Keywords
- Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis, AIS, scoliosis, Schroth, flexibility
- Medical subject headings
- Scoliosis
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Pre-op Exercise ProgramBehavioural
The pre-op exercise group will complete a 6-month supervised pre-op exercise program. This program is adapted from the Schroth exercise program we tested for moderate scoliosis, showing good effect on curve angles, muscle endurance, posture, curve severity, and in self-reported pain and QOL scores. This physiotherapy will individualize exercises to specific spinal curvature(s). Exercises will focus on elongating and derotating the spine to improve the flexibility before surgery. The corrective movements required, the targeted curve type, the level of passive support involved, and the dosages recommended, have been published previously. A Schroth curve classification algorithm and algorithms to guide the prescription for the curve type will help standardize treatment.
The program begins with 5 supervised visits in the first 2 weeks to help learn the exercises. The following month has supervised visits weekly and then every other week. The aim is to exercise 30mins per day 5x/week.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Standard of Care (Control) | No intervention | The Standard of Care (Control) Group is the group that will receive the current standard of care offered in the process of treating AIS with surgery. |
| Pre-op Exercise Intervention | Experimental | The Pre-op Exercise Intervention Group will receive the current standard of care offered when treating AIS with surgery, and will also be offered the intervention by the research team that is a pre-op exercise program aimed to increase flexibility of the spine and reduce scoliosis progression. Receives: Behavioral: Pre-op Exercise Program |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Number of levels fused
The number of vertebrae levels fused during surgery for AIS. This is an indicator of the amount of flexibility afforded to participants post-op, their risk of adverse wear and tear on unoperated levels, and also can indicate significant cost savings to the hospital and health system.
Measured: Indicated during surgical planning, completed during surgery (where it may change from plans)
Secondary outcomes (14)
Italian Spine Youth Quality of Life (ISYQOL) questionnaire
The Italian Spine Youth Quality of Life questionnaire contains 20 questions with the first 13 answered by all patients with scoliosis and the next 7 answered only by those wearing a brace. The raw sum score of the items is converted to a 0 to 100 quality of life score where 100 indicates the best quality of life.
Measured: Baseline, 3 months, 6 months, and at first routine follow-up post-surgery (6 weeks post-op)
Spinal Appearance Questionnaire (SAQ) v1.1 Appearance score
The SAQ v1.1 is a questionnaire consisting of 14 items with the first 10 items producing an appearance score reflecting the self-perceived torso appearance. The appearance score ranges from 10 to 50 with low scores indicating better perceived appearance.
Measured: Baseline, 3 months, 6 months, and at first routine follow-up post-surgery (6 weeks post-op)
Spinal Appearance Questionnaire (SAQ) v1.1 expectation score
The SAQ v1.1 is a questionnaire consisting of 14 items with the last 4 items producing an expectation score reflecting the desire to be more even on some asymmetry features. The expectation score ranges from 4 to 20 with low scores indicating less desire to change the appearance.
Measured: Baseline, 3 months, 6 months, and at first routine follow-up post-surgery (6 weeks post-op)
Spinal Appearance Questionnaire (SAQ) v1.1 total score
The SAQ v1.1 is a questionnaire consisting of 14 items producing a score from 14 to 70 with low scores indicating better perceived appearance.
Measured: Baseline, 3 months, 6 months, and at first routine follow-up post-surgery (6 weeks post-op)
Pre-operative flexibility measured by 3D Ultrasound Imaging
The degree (amount) to which the frontal scoliotic curve is reduced during side-bending compared to standing in a radiograph or ultrasound imaging is the curve's flexibility. These will be taken in ultrasound scanning images of participants.
Measured: Baseline, 3 months, and 6 months
Other Surgery-related Outcomes
Other surgical outcomes include: length (duration) of surgery in minutes, length of stay in hospital post-surgery, percentage of curve correction.
Measured: During surgery & immediately post-surgery
Truncal Anterior Asymmetry Scoliosis Questionnaire (TAASQ) Breast
The TAASQ assesses patient-perceived anterior truncal appearance. This consists of 14 individual questions that fall into a Breast (questions 4 a, b, c; 12; 13; 14) main domain. The TAASQ uses a combination of Likert scales and free text responses. Each multiple-choice question features answer options ranging from 1 to 5, where 5 corresponds to the least amount of concern or asymmetry and 1 corresponds to the most concern. The average score is then calculated for each domain and sub-domain. Higher scores on the TAASQ indicate better quality of life.
Measured: Baseline, 3 months, 6 months, and first routine follow-up post-surgery (6 weeks post-op)
Truncal Anterior Asymmetry Scoliosis Questionnaire (TAASQ) Clothing
The TAASQ assesses patient-perceived anterior truncal appearance. This consists of 14 individual questions that fall into three main domains including the Clothing (1; 2 a, b, c, d, e; 3; 8 a, b, c; 9) domain. The TAASQ uses a combination of Likert scales and free text responses. Each multiple-choice question features answer options ranging from 1 to 5, where 5 corresponds to the least amount of concern or asymmetry and 1 corresponds to the most concern. The average score is then calculated for each domain and sub-domain. Higher scores on the TAASQ indicate better quality of life.
Measured: Baseline, 3 months, 6 months, and first routine follow-up post-surgery (6 weeks post-op)
Truncal Anterior Asymmetry Scoliosis Questionnaire (TAASQ) Appearance
The TAASQ assesses patient-perceived anterior truncal appearance. This consists of 14 individual questions that fall into three main domains: including Appearance (5; 6; 7; 10; 11)., Each multiple-choice question features answer options ranging from 1 to 5, where 5 corresponds to the least amount of concern or asymmetry and 1 corresponds to the most concern. The average score is then calculated for each domain and sub-domain. Higher scores on the TAASQ indicate better quality of life.
Measured: Baseline, 3 months, 6 months, and first routine follow-up post-surgery (6 weeks post-op)
Truncal Anterior Asymmetry Scoliosis Questionnaire (TAASQ) Breast Location
The TAASQ assesses patient-perceived anterior truncal appearance. The Breast domain can be categorized into a Breast location (Q4c, 13) subdomain scored from 1 to 5, where 5 corresponds to the least amount of concern or asymmetry and 1 corresponds to the most concern. The average score is then calculated for each domain and sub-domain. Higher scores on the TAASQ indicate better quality of life.
Measured: Baseline, 3 months, 6 months, and first routine follow-up post-surgery (6 weeks post-op)
Truncal Anterior Asymmetry Scoliosis Questionnaire (TAASQ) Breast shape
The TAASQ assesses patient-perceived anterior truncal appearance. The Breast domain can be categorized into a Breast Shape (Q4b, 12) subdomain scored from 1 to 5, where 5 corresponds to the least amount of concern or asymmetry and 1 corresponds to the most concern. The average score is then calculated for each domain and sub-domain. Higher scores on the TAASQ indicate better quality of life.
Measured: Baseline, 3 months, 6 months, and first routine follow-up post-surgery (6 weeks post-op)
Truncal Anterior Asymmetry Scoliosis Questionnaire (TAASQ) Breast size
The TAASQ assesses patient-perceived anterior truncal appearance. The Breast domain can be categorized into a Breast size (Q4a, 14). subdomain scored from 1 to 5, where 5 corresponds to the least amount of concern or asymmetry and 1 corresponds to the most concern. The average score is then calculated for each domain and sub-domain. Higher scores on the TAASQ indicate better quality of life.
Measured: Baseline, 3 months, 6 months, and first routine follow-up post-surgery (6 weeks post-op)
Truncal Anterior Asymmetry Scoliosis Questionnaire (TAASQ) Clothing General
The TAASQ assesses patient-perceived anterior truncal appearance. This consists of 14 individual questions that fall into a Clothing-General (Q1, 3, 8a, 9) subdomain. Each multiple-choice question features answer options ranging from 1 to 5, where 5 corresponds to the least amount of concern or asymmetry and 1 corresponds to the most concern. The average score is then calculated for each domain and sub-domain. Higher scores on the TAASQ indicate better quality of life.
Measured: Baseline, 3 months, 6 months, and first routine follow-up post-surgery (6 weeks post-op)
Truncal Anterior Asymmetry Scoliosis Questionnaire (TAASQ) Clothing Specific
The TAASQ assesses patient-perceived anterior truncal appearance. This consists of 14 individual questions that fall into a Clothing-Specific (Q2, 8b, 8c, 8d) subomain. Each multiple-choice question features answer options ranging from 1 to 5, where 5 corresponds to the least amount of concern or asymmetry and 1 corresponds to the most concern. The average score is then calculated for each domain and sub-domain. Higher scores on the TAASQ indicate better quality of life.
Measured: Baseline, 3 months, 6 months, and first routine follow-up post-surgery (6 weeks post-op)
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted8 Apr 2026
- Study start26 Nov 2025
- Primary completionDec 2028 (estimated)
- Study completionDec 2028 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (2)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis (AIS)Studies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind
- Who is masked
- Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 40 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Eric Parent
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Women and Children's Health Research Institute, Canada
- Responsible party
- Sponsor-investigator, Eric Parent, University of Alberta
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07516574
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- Pro00150871
- Status last verified
- Mar 2026
- First submitted
- 26 Mar 2026
- Last updated
- 8 Apr 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
Publications
Calman R, Smithers T, Rowan R. Impact of surgical waiting time on paediatric spinal deformity patients. ANZ J Surg. 2013 Dec;83(12):929-32. doi: 10.1111/ans.12196. Epub 2013 May 8.
PubMed 23656433Fan Y, To MKT, Kuang GM, Lou N, Zhu F, Tao H, Li G, Yeung EHK, Cheung KMC, Cheung JPY. Five days of inpatient scoliosis-specific exercises improve preoperative spinal flexibility and facilitate curve correction of patients with rigid idiopathic scoliosis. Spine Deform. 2025 Jan;13(1):165-175. doi: 10.1007/s43390-024-00965-1. Epub 2024 Sep 26.
PubMed 39325330
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 8 Apr 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Pre-operative Flexibility Exercises for Surgery for Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07516574
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- Pro00150871
- Conditions
- Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis (AIS)
- Keywords
- Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis, AIS, scoliosis, Schroth, flexibility
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Enrolling by invitation
- Enrolment
- 40 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Eric ParentUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Women and Children's Health Research Institute, Canada
- Study start
- 26 Nov 2025 (actual)
- Primary completion
- Dec 2028 (estimated)
- Study completion
- Dec 2028 (estimated)
- First posted
- 8 Apr 2026 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
The goal of this clinical trial is to determine if pre-operative scoliosis-specific exercises have a beneficial effect on the health outcomes of surgery for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis affects adolescents between the age of 10-18.
The main questions this study aims to answer are:
- Can pre-operative exercises help reduce curve progression prior to surgery?
- Can pre-operative exercises help improve the surgery outcomes, such as a lower number of vertebrae needing fusion, increased curve correction, reduced surgery length, and shorter length of stay in the hospital?
- Can a pre-operative exercise intervention result in a reduction of the cost of surgery?
Researchers will compare the current standard of care (the control group) to an intervention group (with pre-op exercises) to see if pre-op exercises have an effect on these outcomes.
Participants will:
- visit the clinic every 3 months to complete ultrasound imaging scans and questionnaires
- if given an exercise intervention, aim to complete it for roughly 30 minutes a day
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind (outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Standard of Care (Control) | No intervention | –The Standard of Care (Control) Group is the group that will receive the current standard of care offered in the process of treating AIS with surgery. |
| Pre-op Exercise Intervention | Experimental | Behavioral: Pre-op Exercise ProgramThe Pre-op Exercise Intervention Group will receive the current standard of care offered when treating AIS with surgery, and will also be offered the intervention by the research team that is a pre-op exercise program aimed to increase flexibility of the spine and reduce scoliosis progression. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 10 to 18 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Child, Adult
Key inclusion criteria (4 listed)
- diagnosis of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis
- aged 10 to 18
- curve angle >40 degrees
- waitlisted for posterior spinal fusion surgery at the Stollery Hospital
Key exclusion criteria (2 listed)
- previous surgeries
- current use of scoliosis-specific exercises
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-op Exercise ProgramThe pre-op exercise group will complete a 6-month supervised pre-op exercise program. This program is adapted from the Schroth exercise program we tested for moderate scoliosis, showing good effect on curve angles, muscle endurance, posture, curve severity, and in self-reported pain and QOL scores. This physiotherapy will individualize exercises to specific spinal curvature(s). Exercises will focus on elongating and derotating the spine to improve the flexibility before surgery. The corrective movements required, the targeted curve type, the level of passive support involved, and the dosages recommended, have been published previously. A Schroth curve classification algorithm and algorithms to guide the prescription for the curve type will help standardize treatment. The program begins with 5 supervised visits in the first 2 weeks to help learn the exercises. The following month has supervised visits weekly and then every other week. The aim is to exercise 30mins per day 5x/week. | Behavioural | Pre-op Exercise Intervention |
Primary outcome
Number of levels fused
Time frame: Indicated during surgical planning, completed during surgery (where it may change from plans)
The number of vertebrae levels fused during surgery for AIS. This is an indicator of the amount of flexibility afforded to participants post-op, their risk of adverse wear and tear on unoperated levels, and also can indicate significant cost savings to the hospital and health system.
14 secondary outcomes
Italian Spine Youth Quality of Life (ISYQOL) questionnaire
Time frame: Baseline, 3 months, 6 months, and at first routine follow-up post-surgery (6 weeks post-op)
Spinal Appearance Questionnaire (SAQ) v1.1 Appearance score
Time frame: Baseline, 3 months, 6 months, and at first routine follow-up post-surgery (6 weeks post-op)
Spinal Appearance Questionnaire (SAQ) v1.1 expectation score
Time frame: Baseline, 3 months, 6 months, and at first routine follow-up post-surgery (6 weeks post-op)
Spinal Appearance Questionnaire (SAQ) v1.1 total score
Time frame: Baseline, 3 months, 6 months, and at first routine follow-up post-surgery (6 weeks post-op)
Pre-operative flexibility measured by 3D Ultrasound Imaging
Time frame: Baseline, 3 months, and 6 months
Other Surgery-related Outcomes
Time frame: During surgery & immediately post-surgery
Truncal Anterior Asymmetry Scoliosis Questionnaire (TAASQ) Breast
Time frame: Baseline, 3 months, 6 months, and first routine follow-up post-surgery (6 weeks post-op)
Truncal Anterior Asymmetry Scoliosis Questionnaire (TAASQ) Clothing
Time frame: Baseline, 3 months, 6 months, and first routine follow-up post-surgery (6 weeks post-op)
Truncal Anterior Asymmetry Scoliosis Questionnaire (TAASQ) Appearance
Time frame: Baseline, 3 months, 6 months, and first routine follow-up post-surgery (6 weeks post-op)
Truncal Anterior Asymmetry Scoliosis Questionnaire (TAASQ) Breast Location
Time frame: Baseline, 3 months, 6 months, and first routine follow-up post-surgery (6 weeks post-op)
Truncal Anterior Asymmetry Scoliosis Questionnaire (TAASQ) Breast shape
Time frame: Baseline, 3 months, 6 months, and first routine follow-up post-surgery (6 weeks post-op)
Truncal Anterior Asymmetry Scoliosis Questionnaire (TAASQ) Breast size
Time frame: Baseline, 3 months, 6 months, and first routine follow-up post-surgery (6 weeks post-op)
Truncal Anterior Asymmetry Scoliosis Questionnaire (TAASQ) Clothing General
Time frame: Baseline, 3 months, 6 months, and first routine follow-up post-surgery (6 weeks post-op)
Truncal Anterior Asymmetry Scoliosis Questionnaire (TAASQ) Clothing Specific
Time frame: Baseline, 3 months, 6 months, and first routine follow-up post-surgery (6 weeks post-op)
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 8 Apr 2026.
- Background: PubMed 23656433Calman R, Smithers T, Rowan R. Impact of surgical waiting time on paediatric spinal deformity patients. ANZ J Surg. 2013 Dec;83(12):929-32. doi: 10.1111/ans.12196. Epub 2013 May 8.
- Background: PubMed 39325330Fan Y, To MKT, Kuang GM, Lou N, Zhu F, Tao H, Li G, Yeung EHK, Cheung KMC, Cheung JPY. Five days of inpatient scoliosis-specific exercises improve preoperative spinal flexibility and facilitate curve correction of patients with rigid idiopathic scoliosis. Spine Deform. 2025 Jan;13(1):165-175. doi: 10.1007/s43390-024-00965-1. Epub 2024 Sep 26.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part.
The record lists no contact. Use the official record to reach the sponsor.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Pre-op Exercise Program in people with Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis (AIS), run by Eric Parent at 1 site in Canada.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 4 inclusion and 2 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: enrolling by invitation, as of the sponsor's last update on 8 Apr 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in Canada. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Number of levels fused (time frame: Indicated during surgical planning, completed during surgery (where it may change from plans)). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT07516574, which also lists 2 linked publications.
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 8 Apr 2026.