Schroth Method- Origins of Current Physiotherapy Treatment for Scoliosis

The Schroth Method was created by a woman named Katharina Schroth in the 1920s. Katharina was born in Dresden Germany in 1894. She also had the condition of scoliosis. Unfortunately, at that time the medical community had little guidance or help to offer her. She was given a brace to wear that did little to nothing to help her and hindered her ability to do normal activities. She desperately wanted to be able to get rid of her brace, stand straight up, and do normal activities like everyone else.

A deflated rubber ball is credited for her inspiration and the use of respiration to correct the posture of the trunk and spine. With intuitive observation of the deflated ball, she recognized the similarities between the deflated parts of the ball and the concavities within her ribs and trunk. She saw if the ball was inflated, this would expand the deflated concavities of the ball and a normal spherical shape would be restored. Thus, she could use breath to inflate the deflated (concave) aspects of her trunk and achieve the same results.

With conscientious breathing coupled with varying postures and the use of multiple mirrors for visual feedback, she began to make progress in changing the shape of her trunk. She was able to change the position of her ribs and spine with directed and controlled breathing. With this she discovered the ribs were actually rotated and she could use this specific breathing pattern to derotate the ribs and trunk. This was the creation of “rotational angular breathing”.

Katharina continued her studies in different schools of gymnastics to further her understanding of movement, but realized none of these practices were specific enough to adequately address the scoliosis curvature. She dove further into her own studies and development of methodology. With time she began taking on patients to help them address their scoliotic curves. She achieved great success working with these patients and continued to learn and develop her methodology through careful observation and clinical experience.

Word of Katharina Schroth and her success treating scoliosis began to spread across Germany. She began giving lectures and speeches to different medical groups and societies. Her methodology was tested and compared against other treatment methods for scoliosis. As history has shown, the Schroth Method was far superior to the other approaches at that time. For this reason, many other practitioners were re-trained in the principles of the Schroth Method to be able to offer this treatment approach to a larger population of patients.

In 1955 Katharina Schroth moved to west Germany and in 1961 she founded her clinic in Bad Sobernheim were it continues on today.

Practitioners around the world continue to study and further develop the original groundwork set forth by Katharina Schroth and the Schroth Method. There are now multiple formal educational institutions that instruct practitioners in the foundational principles set forth by the Schroth Method.

Although the Schroth Method and scoliosis specific exercises are gaining notoriety, many people with scoliosis remain lost and unguided in appropriate management of their scoliosis. It is imperative that the medical community properly identify persons with scoliosis and direct them to specially trained practitioners to help them manage their scoliosis through the foundations set forth by the Schroth Method being 3D postural correction and derotation via scoliosis specific exercises, in conjunction with the use of bracing or other orthopedic interventions as needed.