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. 2011 Aug 30:6:17.
doi: 10.1186/1748-7161-6-17.

The method of Katharina Schroth - history, principles and current development

Hans-Rudolf Weiss  1
Affiliations

The method of Katharina Schroth - history, principles and current development

Hans-Rudolf Weiss. Scoliosis. .
No abstract available

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Mechanical approach with curvature redression with the help of three therapists in the approach used by Oldevig [2,12].
Figure 2
Figure 2
Patient with a large thoracic curvature exercising on her own in front of a mirror. Mirror monitoring plays an important role in the original Schroth programme so as to allow synchronizing the corrective movement and the postural perception with the visual input [12]. [Historical picture from the picture database of Christa Lehnert-Schroth, Meissen 1944].
Figure 3
Figure 3
The original classification according to Lehnert-Schroth. On the left the Three Curve Pattern with the shoulder, thoracic and lumbo-pelvic block deviated against each other in the frontal plane and also rotated against each other. On the right the Four Curve Pattern with a separation of the lumbo-pelvic block into a lumbar and a pelvic block deviated against each other in frontal plane and also rotated against each other. Per definition: the pelvic block symbolises the lumbosacral counter curve and this curve is defined as the 4th Curve [12].
Figure 4
Figure 4
Katharina Schroth (centre in the background) seen with her patients in the 30's. [Historical picture from the picture database of Christa Lehnert-Schroth].
Figure 5
Figure 5
A group of patients with large curvatures exercising in the garden of the little institute run by Katharina Schroth in the 30's in Meissen. [Historical picture from the picture database of Christa Lehnert-Schroth].
Figure 6
Figure 6
Individual training of a patient by Christa Schroth, daughter of Katharina Schroth in the 40's. [Historical picture from the picture database of Christa Lehnert-Schroth].
Figure 7
Figure 7
Individual training of another patient by Christa Schroth, daughter of Katharina Schroth in the 40's. [Historical picture from the picture database of Christa Lehnert-Schroth].
Figure 8
Figure 8
A typical patient with a large curvature as treated in Katharina Schroth's first institute in the 30's in Meissen. [Historical picture from the picture database of Christa Lehnert-Schroth].
Figure 9
Figure 9
Another typical patient with a large curvature as treated in Katharina Schroth's institute. [Historical picture from the picture database of Christa Lehnert-Schroth, Gottleuba 1950, second Schroth institute, East Germany].
Figure 10
Figure 10
A small group of patients with large curvatures exercising in front of mirrors to allow the monitoring of the progress of correction. [Historical picture from the picture database of Christa Lehnert-Schroth, Meissen 1944].
Figure 11
Figure 11
A group of patients with major thoracic curvatures exercising the ‚muscle cylinder'. [Historical picture from the picture database of Christa Lehnert-Schroth, Meissen in the 30's].
Figure 12
Figure 12
Patients in front of the little hut of the institute. The patients were used to exercise in the garden and only when there was rain the treatment took place in the hut [Historical picture from the picture database of Christa Lehnert-Schroth, Meissen 1935].
Figure 13
Figure 13
Franz Schroth, Katharina Schroth's husband, assisted in patient training regularly. [Historical picture from the picture database of Christa Lehnert-Schroth].
Figure 14
Figure 14
Christa Lehnert-Schroth, Katharina Schroth's daughter, amidst a group of patients in her new institute in Sobernheim (Folder of the ‚Sanatorium Lehnert-Schroth in the 70's). [Historical picture from the picture database of Christa Lehnert-Schroth].
Figure 15
Figure 15
Exercise setting in the new institute in Sobernheim (Folder of the ‚Sanatorium Lehnert-Schroth in the 70's). [Historical picture from the picture database of Christa Lehnert-Schroth].
Figure 16
Figure 16
Adalbert Lehnert and Christa Lehnert-Schroth treating a patient with significant rib hump together in the early 70's in the new institute in Sobernheim. [Historical picture from the picture database of Christa Lehnert-Schroth].
Figure 17
Figure 17
Typical exercise setting in the Katharina Schroth Klinik in Bad Sobernheim. The elevation of both arms leads to an increase of the flatback deformity [12].
Figure 18
Figure 18
Another patient in the typical exercise setting in the Katharina Schroth Klinik in Bad Sobernheim. The elevation of both arms leads to an increase of the flatback deformity [12].
Figure 19
Figure 19
Typical treatment in the Asklepios centre in Bad Sobernheim with very many tools not available at home, lying on the floor not using the automated postural correction by using the corrective postural reflex activation [12].
Figure 20
Figure 20
Starting position of the ‚muscle cylinder' exercise. Before starting the original exercise an automated postural correction is achieved in the asymmetric starting position by using the corrective postural reflex activation [12].
Figure 21
Figure 21
Good in-brace correction in todays' bracing standard. An overcorrection has been achieved in the single thoracic curve pattern.
Figure 22
Figure 22
Good in-brace correction in todays' bracing standard. A sufficient correction has been achieved in the single thoracolumbar curve pattern. After 6 months of treatment the improvement of the trunk deformity is clearly visible in the surface topography scans (lower line of pictures).
Figure 23
Figure 23
Clinical overcorrection of a patients with a thoracic curve exceeding 40° in the ‚New Power Schroth' exercise called ‚Frog at the pond' [12].
Figure 24
Figure 24
Good correction effect during an original Schroth exercise in a patient with a very large rib hump. This was a corrective exercise during the initial development of the original Schroth programme. Later on the exercises were performed differently. [Historical picture from the picture database of Christa Lehnert-Schroth, Meissen 20's].
Figure 25
Figure 25
Impressive correction of a significant rib hump during an intensive rehabilitation of 3-months in the old institute in Meissen, East Germany before WW II. The picture on the right is in actice correction. [Historical picture from the picture database of Christa Lehnert-Schroth, Meissen 20's].
Figure 26
Figure 26
The new augmented classification according to Lehnert-Schroth. This classification is still based on the classical one (Figure. 3), however more precise. Today this is a big help in certain cases during physiotherapy, but also the basic classification in the application of the Gensingen brace™ [12].
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Vasiliadis ES, Grivas TB, Kaspiris A. Historical overview of spinal deformities in ancient Greece. Scoliosis. 2009;4:6. doi: 10.1186/1748-7161-4-6. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Oldevig J. Ein neues Gerät und neue Übungen der Schwedischen Heilgymnastik zur Behandlung von Rückgrats-Verkrümmungen. Springer, Berlin; 1913.
    1. Schroth K. Die Atmungskur. Zimmermann Verlag, Chemnitz; 1924.
    1. Schroth K. Behandlung der Skoliose (Rückgratverkrümmung) durch Atmungsorthopädie. Der Naturarzt. 1931. pp. 11–15.
    1. Schroth K. Wie helfen wir den Rückgratverkrümmten? Obererzgebirgische Zeitung 143, June 25th. 1935.

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