Providence Bracing in Idiopathic Scoliosis: A Scoping Review

Background: The Providence nighttime brace (PNB) is an emerging conservative treatment modality in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS). The purpose of this study was to map the extent and nature of published evidence on the PNB, to summarize outcomes and patient-reported effects, and to identify gaps for future investigation. Methods: This study followed Joanna Briggs Institute methodology and was reported according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) guidelines. A keyword search was queried in PubMed, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), Web of Science Core Collection, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), and Scopus databases. Included studies were original articles focused on PNB utilization in AIS treatment. Non-peer-reviewed, opinion, editorial, or review articles were excluded. Results: A total of 24 studies were included, encompassing 2,262 patients. Six studies compared outcomes to full-time orthoses; eleven examined ways to improve PNB success; three evaluated the PNB's impact on quality of life. The literature suggests the PNB consistently prevents curve progression in indicated patients, especially in curves measuring