Reference values for Cobb angles when evaluating the spine in the sagittal plane: a systematic review with meta-analysis

The present systematic review of observational studies with meta-analysis aim to identify the reference values of the spinal curvatures in the sagittal plane, as evaluated using the Cobb angle in X-rays, in healthy individuals. Electronic searches were undertaken in MEDLINE, Scopus, ScienceDirect and LILACS. Studies that evaluated the spinal curvature of healthy children, adolescents, adults, and elderly using Cobb method and presented reference values for those curvatures were incluced. Thirty-one studies were eligible for inclusion. The reference values found (confidence interval 95%) were: for children, thoracic (28.7°-37.9°), lumbar L1-L5 (34.5o-44.8º), and lumbar L1-S1 (41.7o-54.1o); for adolescents: thoracic (31.5o-39.2o), lumbar L1-L5 (39.8o-45.6o), and lumbar L1-S1 (51.9o-59.1o); for adults: thoracic (33.7o-40.3o), lumbar L1-L5 (38.1o-45.6o), and lumbar L1-S1 (54.2o-61.7o); and for the elderly: thoracic (37.7º-50.4o), and lumbar L1-S1 (56.6º-65.9o). For the cervical region, it was impossible to establish consistent reference values. The present study supports that precise reference intervals were identified for the sagittal curvatures of the thoracic and lumbar spine in healthy children, adolescents, adults and elderly, as evaluated by means of the Cobb Method.

4-year Longitudinal Study of the Assessment of Body Posture, Back Pain, Postural and Life Habits of Schoolchildren

The aim of this study was to evaluate the behaviour of postural variables and the associated factors, like back pain and life habits, in schoolchildren during a period of four years. Forty-two school children underwent a postural assessment using Digital Image-Based Postural Assessment software. They also answered the self-administered questionnaire titled, “Back Pain and Body Posture Evaluation Instrument” to evaluate their back pain and life habits. We observed a significant trend of forward head, thoracic hyper kyphosis, and lumbar hyper lordosis in the entire group, as well as a trend of cervical rectification in girls. Both boys and girls presented a constant frequency in back pain, but girls presented higher prevalence along the years. We found a high prevalence of poor sitting posture in male (between 72.2-89.5%) and female (between 73.3-100%). We also found that girls had poor posture due to the way they carried their school supplies. However, occurred a decrease of time spent in front of television for male (from 87% to 10.5%) and female (from 93.3% to 0%). Significant changes occurred in analysed variables over evaluation period.

Non-invasive postural assessment of the spine in the sagittal plane: a systematic review

<p>The objective of this review was to examine the scientific evidence regarding the aspects of validation in non-invasive methods of assessing the spine in the sagittal plane. A systematic search was conducted in following data bases Scopus, Science Direct, PubMed and Medline<em>. </em>To be included the papers must have: conducted a non-invasive assessment of thoracic kyphosis and/or lumbar lordosis; evaluated at least one aspect of validity; been written in English; and been published in the previously three decades. Papers that score less than three in the QUADAS scale were excluded. Initially, 70 articles were pre-selected. Of this, 52 were finally included as they met the quality criterion. Based on this review, the following techniques/instruments were found to present satisfactory results for all aspects of validity in the assessment of thoracic kyphosis: photogrammetry, flexible ruler, archometer, and DeBrunner’skyphometer. Similarly, photogrammetry, inclinometer, flexible ruler, archometer and kypholordometer were found to present satisfactory results in the assessment of lumbar lordosis. Therefore, it is suggested that these instruments be adopted as first choice for evaluating the spine in the sagittal plane, since they present adequate reproducibility and concurrent validity.</p><p><br /><strong></strong></p>

PREVALÊNCIA DE DOR NAS COSTAS E FATORES ASSOCIADOS EM ESCOLARES DO ENSINO FUNDAMENTAL E MÉDIO DE UMA ESCOLA ESTADUAL DE GRAVATAÍ/RS

Objetivo: Verificar a prevalência de dor nas costas em escolares do Ensino Fundamental e Médio da cidade de Gravataí, Brasil, bem como verificar se a dor está associada com fatores demográficos (idade e sexo), comportamentais (hábitos de vida diários) e hereditários (ocorrência de dor nas costas nos pais). Metodologia: 321 escolares de 10 a 17 anos responderam o questionário BackPEI. Resultados: A partir de análise multivariável, a dor nas costas está associada (p<0,05) com: idade, com maior prevalência aos 16, 17 e 18 anos; postura inadequada ao sentar; e dor nas costas nos pais. Conclusão: A prevalência de dor nas costas dos escolares foi de 54,6%, o que sugere a necessidade de ações destinadas à prevenção e promoção, através de programas de educação em saúde para os escolares.

PROPRIOCEPTION, BODY BALANCE AND FUNCTIONALITY IN INDIVIDUALS WITH ACL RECONSTRUCTION

OBJECTIVE

: To evaluate and compare proprioception, body balance and knee functionality of individuals with or without unilateral anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction.

METHODS

: Forty individuals were divided in two groups: Experimental group, 20 individuals with ACL reconstruction at six months postoperative, and control group, 20 individuals with no history of lower limb pathologies. In the experimental group, we assessed lower limbs with reconstructed ACL and contralateral limb; in the control group the dominant and the non-dominant lower limbs were assessed. All subjects were submitted to joint position sense test to evaluate proprioception, postural control measure in single-limb, and step up and down (SUD) test for functional assessment.

RESULTS

: There were no deficits in proprioception and postural control. In the SUD test, a 5% decrease in lift up force was found in reconstructed ACL lower limbs, however, a statistically not significant difference. The impact and step down force during the course of test were 30% greater in anatomic ACL than in control lower limbs.

CONCLUSION

: The individuals with ACL reconstruction at six months postoperative did not show changes in proprioception and postural control, but showed motor control changes, influencing knee functionality. Level of Evidence IV, Prognostic Studies.

Validating a postural evaluation method developed using a Digital Image-based Postural Assessment (DIPA) software

OBJECTIVE

To investigate (1) the accuracy of the palpatory method to identify anatomical points by comparison with the X-ray exams, (2) the validity of classifying spinal posture in the frontal plane using Digital Image-Based Postural Assessment (DIPA) software by comparison with the X-ray exams and (3) the intra and inter-evaluator reproducibility of the DIPA software.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The postural assessment and X-ray examination of the spine, both in the frontal plane and standing position, were performed consecutively in 24 subjects. The postural assessment protocol consisted of: (1) palpation and the use of reflective markers containing lead to mark the spinous processes (SP) of the C7, T2, T4, T6, T8, T10, T12, L2, L4 and S2 vertebrae and; (2) acquisition of photographic records. First, the X-ray examinations were used to check the correlation between the palpated and marked SP and the true location of the SP of the vertebra in question, by assessing the distance between them. The spinal posture was classified based on the calculation of the scoliosis arrows in the DIPA (DIPA-SA). The X-ray examinations provided the scoliosis arrows (X-SA), the Cobb angles and the classification of spinal posture based on the Cobb angle. The results from the DIPA protocol were compared to those from the X-ray examination-based protocol. The statistical tests used were: (1) Kruskal-Wallis--differences in terms of the numerical distance between the markers and the anatomical landmarks, (2) Pearson's Correlation--DIPA-SA and Cobb angles, (3) Pearson's Correlation--X-SA and DIPA-SA; (4) Bland and Altman's graphic representation--X-SA and DIPA-SA, (5) Spearman's Correlation--classification of spinal posture obtained using the X-ray and DIPA protocols, (6) the intraclass correlation test (ICC) for the relationship between the DIPA-SA made by each evaluator (inter-evaluator), and (7) independent t-test to compare the data from the two evaluation days (intra-evaluator), α=0.05.

RESULTS

There were no significant differences between the location of the anatomical points located using palpation and identified with reflective markers and the respective location of the SP as identified using X-ray exams (χ²=9.366, p=0.404). Significant correlations were found between the DIPA-SA and the Cobb angles in the dorsal (r=0.75, p<0.001) and lumbar (r=0.76, p=0.007) regions; between the DIPA-SA and the X-SA in the dorsal (r=0.79, p<0.001) and lumbar (r=0.92, p<0.001) regions and; between the classifications of posture obtained with the DIPA and X-ray protocols (r=0.804, p<0.001). Bland and Altman's representation showed agreement between DIPA-SA and X-SA for both curvatures. Significant correlations were found for the intra-evaluator test in the thoracic (r=0.99, p<0.001) and lumbar (r=0.98, p<0.001) regions; for the inter-evaluator test in the thoracic (r=0.99, p<0.001) and lumbar (r=0.88, p<0.001) regions.

CONCLUSION

The results suggest that the DIPA protocol constitutes a valid simple, practical and low-cost non-invasive tool for the evaluation of the spine in the frontal plane which can be used to obtain reproducible measurements (inter and intra-evaluators).

Pontos marcados na superfície da pele representam os processos espinhosos quando a postura é modificada?

O objetivo do estudo foi verificar radiograficamente se a posição dos marcadores de superfície, identificados por palpação em ortostase, é alterada com a modificação da postura para o decúbito lateral. Dez indivíduos foram: palpados e marcados com adesivos de superfície, os processos espinhosos das vértebras C7, T2, T4, T6, T8, T10, T12, L2, L4 e S2; submetidos a um exame radiológico da coluna vertebral na posição ortostática e em decúbito lateral direito para verificar se o marcador de superfície colocado sobre o processo espinhoso estava condizente com o processo espinhoso da imagem radiográfica. Uma ANOVA two-way mostrou diferenças significativas para o deslocamento do marcador de superfície entre as posições para as vértebras C7, T2, T4, T6, T8, T10, L2 e S2 (p<0,001). Nas vértebras T12 e L4 não foram encontradas diferenças significativas. Os resultados indicam que a localização do marcador de superfície não foi condizente com o processo espinhoso identificado no exame radiológico, entre as posições. O movimento da pele pode ter deslocado o marcador de superfície, quando o indivíduo modificou sua posição da posição ortostática para decúbito lateral direito.