Background: Although recent studies using virtual reality have been actively conducted, studies on exercise therapy interventions and changes in muscle characteristics in patients with scoliosis are limited.
Objectives: To investigate the effects of trunk and pelvic exercises program using virtual reality on the characteristics of paraspinal muscles in patients with scoliosis.
Design: A randomized controlled trial. Methods: Thirty college students with scoliosis were randomly assigned to the trunk and pelvic exercise program using virtual reality group (VRG; n=15) and the general stretching exercise group (SG; n=15). The intervention was conducted three times a week for 8 weeks for 30 min per session. The recorded variables were muscle tone (F), muscle stiffness (S), and muscle elasticity (D). The collected data were analyzed after statistical processing.
Results: In the cervical vertebrae, F showed significant differences in the amount of inter-group variation in the VRG compared that in the SG on the right side. The VRG showed significant increases in intra-group variation on both the right and left sides. S showed significant differences in the amount of inter-group variation in the VRG compared to that in the SG on the right side. With regard to the intra-group variation of F in the thoracic vertebrae, the right muscle in the VRG demonstrated significantly increased after the experiment, while D significantly increased in the left muscle in the VRG.
Conclusion: Pelvic and trunk exercises program using virtual reality may be applied a better therapeutic intervention for patients with scoliosis.

INTRODUCTION
SUBJECTS AND METHODS
    Subjects
    Measurement Apparatus
    Experimental Method
    Data Analysis
RESULTS
    General characteristics of the participants
    Changes in the characteristics of paravertebral musclesaccording to the intervention method
DISCUSSION
CONCLUSION
REFERENCES

• Jihyun Han(Graduate School of Integrative Medicine, Cha University)
• Beomcheol Jeong(Noble Care Hospital)
• Byungsun Kong(Graduate School of Integrative Medicine, Cha University) Correspondence
• Kyungtae Yoo(Department of Physical Therapy, Namseoul University)