Efficacy of traditional Chinese massage therapy combined with Schroth therapy in patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis: a meta-analysis

Background Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) is a three-dimensional structural deformity of the spine that arises due to genetic factors and unhealthy lifestyle habits during the adolescent growth period, prior to skeletal maturity. This condition significantly affects both the physical development and mental well-being of adolescents. Both traditional Chinese massage therapy and schroth therapy have been clinically validated as effective interventions for scoliosis. However, whether the combination of these two approaches yields superior therapeutic outcomes remains controversial. Therefore, this study employed a meta-analysis to evaluate the efficacy of traditional Chinese massage therapy combined with Schroth therapy in the treatment of AIS. Methods We systematically searched multiple databases, including the Cochrane library, Web of Science, Embase, PubMed, CNKI, and Wanfang database, for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) investigating the effects of traditional Chinese massage therapy combined with Schroth therapy on AIS, with the search period extending up to January 2025. Two reviewers independently screened the literature, extracted relevant data, and assessed the methodological quality of the included studies. Statistical analyses were performed using Stata 14.0 to conduct the meta-analysis. The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) system was utilized to assess the quality of evidence for each outcome. Results A total of eight studies involving 549 patients were included. The meta-analysis revealed that the combination of traditional Chinese massage and schroth therapy significantly improved overall treatment outcomes for AIS [RR = 1.16, 95%CI(1.01, 1.32), P = 0.0146; Level of evidence: very low], enhanced scoliosis research society−22 questionnaire scores [SMD = 2.44, 95%CI(0.68, 4.20), P = 0.007; Level of evidence: very low] and reduced the Cobb Angle [SMD = −1.23, 95%CI(−2.10, −0.35), P = 0.006; Level of evidence: very low]. Conclusion Current evidence suggests that traditional Chinese massage therapy combined with Schroth therapy may offer greater clinical benefits than Schroth therapy alone for patients with AIS. However, owing to the limited number and methodological quality of the included studies, these findings should be interpreted with caution and further validated in high-quality research.