At Scoliosis Support & Research, one of our core aims is to help uncover more about scoliosis — from its causes and how normal spinal growth becomes disrupted, to the ways it can be detected and monitored, as well as the short- and long-term effects of the condition and its treatments.
When deciding which projects to fund, one of the main criteria we use is the Priority Setting Partnership, supported by the James Lind Alliance. This was first published in 2018 and featured in a previous edition of Backbone.
Here are some of the exciting projects that SSR has recently funded, many of which are already underway or have been completed:
Scoliosis severity and its effect on walking
It is known that severe scoliosis can affect walking. This project aims to study the relationship between the severity of spinal curves and the extent of walking disturbance, as well as how surgical treatment may improve or alter this.
The study involves patients walking across a platform fitted with sensors to measure the size and direction of forces. SSR first approved funding for this project in 2018, but progress was delayed due to challenges with patient recruitment during the pandemic, followed by the closure of Stafford University’s biomechanics department. The work has now resumed at the University of Dundee.
Art-based research on the patient impact of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis
This unusual but important project uses art to explore the impact of scoliosis on patients. Initially met with hesitation, the project was ultimately funded after the committee recognised its value in helping health professionals, patients, and the wider public gain new perspectives on scoliosis and its treatment options.
A grant of £38,759.73 was awarded to Birmingham University. The project has since been published in BMJ Medical Humanities and The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health, and the artwork is set to be exhibited at the IKON Gallery, Birmingham.
Thoracic vertebral shape in scoliosis
Exeter University was awarded £39,948 to develop a new way of describing how individual vertebrae deform within scoliosis curves. This method could help predict how scoliosis might progress, supporting decisions around surgery or bracing.
The research was awarded first prize at the 2024 British Scoliosis Society meeting, and has been submitted for publication in Scientific Reports.
Metal wear and failure of magnetically operated scoliosis rods
Magnetically controlled growing rods, introduced in 2009, allow surgeons to adjust spinal rods non-invasively as a child grows. However, experience has shown that the expansion mechanism often fails due to metal wear.
A grant of £14,456 was awarded to Newcastle University to measure the amount of wear debris in failed rods. This is important in determining whether the debris could be harmful. The project has been completed, presented at an international meeting, and submitted to the Journal of Engineering in Medicine.
Scoliosis core outcome set
Assessing treatment outcomes in scoliosis is complex, particularly as many young patients initially have no pain, disability, or noticeable cosmetic issues. Standardised questionnaires are widely used, but the most common one is increasingly seen as inadequate.
A grant was awarded to Queen’s University, Belfast to develop a new, improved outcome set. The work has been completed and submitted to Bone & Joint Open.
Predicting brace treatment compliance
Braces can help avoid surgery, but wearing them is often difficult for patients. Non-compliance can mean wasted time and worsening scoliosis.
Sheffield University received funding to identify the factors influencing brace compliance, and developed a ‘brace adherence prediction questionnaire.’ The findings were presented at an international scoliosis meeting earlier this year.
Full-time versus night-time bracing
Also led by Sheffield University, this study is investigating whether full-time bracing (23 hours a day) is more effective than wearing a brace only at night. This project is still in progress.
Gait stability in scoliosis
Research has shown that scoliosis can disturb gait. This project, supported by a grant to University College London, investigated whether gait changes measured by specialist equipment could correlate with scoliosis severity.
The results showed a clear relationship. Further work is now needed to see whether this approach could become a simple, practical alternative to x-rays.
Trunk shape in scoliosis
The asymmetrical appearance of the trunk is one of the most visible effects of scoliosis. New 3D imaging technology now makes it possible to capture these changes more easily and potentially track scoliosis progression without repeated x-rays.
A team at Teesside University received funding to compare 3D imaging with x-ray findings as curves change over time. The project is about to begin.
Intervertebral disc stiffness in scoliosis
Stiffness in spinal discs is a feature of progressive scoliosis. Earlier ultrasound-based methods of measuring stiffness were not reliable enough to predict progression, but a newly adapted technique could be more accurate.
A grant of £113,542 was awarded to the biomechanics department, now based at the University of Dundee, to explore this. The research could significantly improve decision-making for young patients with small spinal curves.
Decision-making in adult scoliosis surgery
Scoliosis is actually more common in people over 60 than in young people, but outcomes from surgery in older patients are less predictable. Many surgeons avoid operating beyond a certain age, yet patients often request surgery due to severe symptoms.
This project, funded with £77,031 and led by Aston University, is studying the decision-making process in patients over 55 across three UK scoliosis centres, with the aim of making recommendations for improved approaches.
Looking ahead
These projects highlight the breadth and depth of SSR’s research funding — from biomechanics to patient experience, and from childhood to adulthood. By supporting this wide range of studies, we hope to create a future where scoliosis can be better understood, more effectively treated, and ultimately easier to live with.
