BACKGROUND: Finite element analysis has been used commonly in the biomechanics research of scoliosis due to the process of computing technology. OBJECTIVE: To review the application and progress of three-dimensional finite element analysis applied in the study of biomechanics of scoliosis, and to summarize its development process and characteristics, and look forward to its development prospects and directions in order to play a guiding role in the biomechanical study of scoliosis. METHODS: The first author retrieved the PubMed, Web of Science, and Wanfang Database with the computer for studies published from 1998 to 2019. The key words were FEA, finite element analysis, 3D FEA, scoliosis, adolescent idiopathic scoliosis, AIS. Studies with poor quality and repetitive studies were excluded, and 48 articles were finally included for review. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: (1) Literature review found that three-dimensional finite element analysis has a lot of practice in the study of scoliosis biomechanics, and important progress has been made. (2) It has been widely used in simulating external fixator, optimizing surgical procedure and predicting prognosis, but less in etiology. (3) The development direction of three-dimensional finite element analysis is to further improve the fine structure simulation of the model, optimize the simulation of the biomechanical characteristics of non-linear elements, improve the simulation of spinal growth and compensatory effects, so as to establish a more realistic three-dimensional finite element model and improve the reliability of finite element analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]