Progressive scoliosis is a serious condition with a lifelong burden of disease. Not only psychological issues related to disturbed self-image during puberty and later life, also continuous progression, the increased risk of back pain (already a pandemic that leads to diminished participation in society) and even disturbance of normal cardio-pulmonary development may play a role, not only in the most severe examples, as is evidenced by recent publications. 1/2
Brace treatment has been shown to be effective in preventing progression to the surgical level. Internationally, some have gone further. Early treatment of smaller curves in the very immature patients, that are at great risk of rapid progression, seems to be able not only to halt progression, but also to permanently improve the curve. 3/4
Criticism to this approach is that some of these smaller curves could possibly also have improved spontaneously, so adequate prediction of curve behavior is very important.