Advances in scoliosis brace treatment for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis.

Orthotic treatment with a brace remains the treatment of choice for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis in the immature patient with documented progression or a curve magnitude of 25 degrees to 40 degrees . Studies of natural history and bracing consistently show high rates of curve progression and surgery with observation and significantly less so with brace treatment. Brace treatment is difficult in overweight patients and challenging in males. Many of the variations in brace study results may be attributable to differing rates of compliance with brace wear, a parameter that is becoming easier to measure.