It is rare for a single case to so clearly demonstrate the power of a conservative approach. This is what emerges from the article published in the Journal of Clinical Medicine (Effective Conservative Management of Severe Scoliosis in a Girl with Prader–Willi Syndrome: A 20-Year Case Study Follow-Up, MDPI, 2024).

Prader–Willi syndrome (PWS) is a rare genetic disorder characterized by muscle hypotonia, obesity, and cognitive difficulties, often associated with severe scoliosis.
“In many of these cases, surgery is considered the only possible solution,” explains Dr. Francesco Negrini, author of the study. “In contrast, we present the clinical case of a young patient followed for twenty years with a conservative approach, based on scoliosis-specific exercises and customized braces, from Milwaukee to Sforzesco.”

Despite an initial curve exceeding 50° Cobb, the patient avoided surgery, maintaining long-term stability of the deformity and a good quality of life.

“This case highlights the potential of a well-organized, long-term conservative approach to managing scoliosis in PWS,” adds Negrini. “It suggests that, under specific conditions, surgery may be avoided or postponed. Most importantly, it underscores the need for further research to establish standardized protocols and to support clinical decision-making in the conservative treatment of scoliosis in PWS patients. We are already working on specific protocols for ambulatory patients with scoliosis secondary to neurological diseases,” concludes Negrini. “These protocols are urgently needed, as at present they do not yet exist.”