Introduction: Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis is a three-dimensional deformity of spine and trunk and is the most common form of scoliosis. The diagnosis is excretory and is made when the Cobb angle is equal to or greater than 10° and axial trunk rotation is simultaneously observed. School-based screening programs are used to identify adolescent idiopathic scoliosis using various clinical assessment methods to evaluate deformity, but their effectiveness has not been well studied. Purpose: The aim of the thesis was to present the reliability and validity of low-cost and easy-to-perform clinical assessment methods for the evaluation of postural asymmetry in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. Methods: English-language literature published between 2009 and 2020 was searched in PubMed. Nine studies were selected considering inclusion and exclusion criteria. Results: The results of the studies reviewed indicate very good to excellent reliability of the scoliometer, which has good validity. The Scoligauge app showed excellent reliability and validity, Baseline Body Level / Scoliosis Metre was highly reliable but moderately valid. The reliability of the Adam's forward test and the Trunk aesthetic clinical evaluation scale was poor. Discussion and conclusion: The literature review shows that the authors disagree on the reliability of the Trunk aesthetic clinical evaluation scale and the Adam's forward bend test, while the reliability and validity of other clinical tests and measurement tools were clinically important. Clinical assessment methods for evaluating postural abnormalities should be simple, inexpensive, rapid, and reliable to avoid repeated exposure to X-rays. Further research should include more study and control groups and compare results between them and standardize measurement protocols.
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