Monitoring of Curve Progression in Patients with Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis Using 3-D Ultrasound

OBJECTIVE

The aim of the work described here was to determine whether 3-D ultrasound can provide results comparable to those of conventional X-ray examination in assessing curve progression in patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS).

METHODS

One hundred thirty-six participants with AIS (42 males and 94 females; age range: 10-18 y, mean age: 14.1 ± 1.9 y) with scoliosis of different severity (Cobb angle range: 10º- 85º, mean: of 24.3 ± 14.4º) were included. Each participant underwent biplanar low-dose X-ray EOS and 3-D ultrasound system scanning with the same posture on the same date. Participants underwent the second assessment at routine clinical follow-up. Manual measurements of scoliotic curvature on ultrasound coronal projection images and posterior-anterior radiographs were expressed as the ultrasound curve angle (UCA) and radiographic Cobb angle (RCA), respectively. RCA and UCA increments ≥5º represented a scoliosis progression detected by X-ray assessment and 3-D ultrasound assessment, respectively.

RESULTS

The sensitivity and specificity of UCA measurement in detecting scoliosis progression were 0.93 and 0.90, respectively. The negative likelihood ratio of the diagnostic test for scoliosis progression by the 3-D ultrasound imaging system was 0.08.

CONCLUSION

The 3-D ultrasound imaging method is a valid technique for detecting coronal curve progression as compared with conventional radiography in follow-up of AIS. Substituting conventional radiography with 3-D ultrasound is effective in reducing the radiation dose to which AIS patients are exposed during their follow-up examinations.

A novel multi-study intervention investigating the short and long term effects of a posture bra on whole body and breast kinematics

BACKGROUND

Poor standing posture has been reported in women with larger breasts, increasing the risk of back pain. Whilst breast reduction surgery can improve posture, conservative measures such as special bras may offer short or long-term relief of symptoms without surgical intervention.

RESEARCH QUESTION

This study aimed to utilise a multi-study intervention to investigate the short and long-term kinematic effects of wearing a posture bra.

METHODS

Study one utilised biomechanics and physiotherapy expertise to modify the design of a prototype bra to improve posture and breast kinematics; resulting in a second-generation posture bra. To test this bra, 24 females were randomly assigned to control and intervention groups. The control group wore their everyday bra; the intervention group wore the generation 2 posture bra in place of their everyday bra for three months. Pre and post intervention, posture (spine curvature, scapula position, whole body alignment) and breast kinematics were assessed during sitting, standing and walking. Short-term effects of the posture bra were compared to an everyday bra and no bra (study two), whilst the long-term effects were compared using the no bra condition (study three).

RESULTS

Biomechanical intervention improved posture and breast kinematics in a prototype posture bra resulting in a second-generation prototype. Pre-intervention, the generation 2 posture bra significantly improved scapula retraction by 6° during both sitting and standing, but also increased deviation of whole body alignment compared to everyday bra and no bra conditions. During walking the posture bra reduced breast motion by 17 % compared to the everyday bra. Following the three-month wearer intervention, scapula depression significantly improved in the intervention group.

SIGNIFICANCE

A biomechanically informed posture bra was able to effectively support the breasts and improve scapula position without compromising spinal curvature, reducing the risk of musculoskeletal pain associated with poor posture.

Effect of Pilates Method on muscular trunk endurance and hamstring extensibility in adolescents during twelve weeks training and detraining

BACKGROUND

Thoracic hyperkyphosis and lumbar hyperlordosis have been associated with low values of flexibility in the hamstring muscle and endurance of the trunk musculature. These are areas that are worked using the Pilates Method (PM), however, there are only two studies that assess its effect on these variables in adolescence, and none that measure the retention time of the acquired improvements. The main objective of this research was to assess the effect of 10 min of adapted exercise program from PM in a Physical Education class (PE) for 12 weeks, on trunk muscle endurance and hamstring flexibility, and to evaluate the retention of resulting changes.

METHODS

The sample consisted of 441 adolescents (age = 13.9 ± 1.3 years). The experimental group (EG) performed two weekly 10-min sessions of PM for 12 weeks. The control group (CG) performed its usual sessions of PE. The endurance of the trunk flexor muscles and trunk extensor muscles, toe touch test (TT), bench trunk curl test (BTC) and the Biering-Sörensen test (SOR), were used to evaluate hamstring flexibility, before application of the program, at the end, 12 weeks later.

RESULTS

A significant improvement was found in the EG for all variables analyzed, with an average improvement of 9.37 repetitions in the BTC test, 19.4 s in the SOR test and 2.75 in the TT test. The CG did not show significant changes. The EG's improvements were retained 12 weeks later, except in the SOR test.

CONCLUSION

The inclusion of 10 min of adapted exercise program from PM in PE classes, for two weekly sessions over 12 weeks, produces improvements in trunk muscle endurance and hamstring flexibility, and these gains are retained in the flexor and hamstring muscles 12 weeks later.

Changes in the global spine alignment in the sitting position in an automobile

BACKGROUND CONTEXT

Studies of the changes in spine alignment in the sitting position have been limited to specific spine segments. Because there have been few studies of global spinopelvic alignment in the sitting position, it is important to assess the changes associated with this position for such settings as developing future design of seats and achieving appropriate restoration of spine alignment.

PURPOSE

This study aimed to measure changes in global spine alignment when people are sitting in car seats and to analyze the characteristics of those changes.

STUDY DESIGN

This was a prospective, collaborative study of the radiological evaluation of changes in global spine alignment.

PATIENT SAMPLE

The study included 113 asymptomatic adult participants (56 men and 57 women) without a history of spine disease or lower limb surgery, and with no current lower back or leg pain.

OUTCOME MEASURES

Radiographic findings were assessed by measurement of various angles: cervical lordosis (CL), thoracic kyphosis (TK), thoracolumbar kyphosis (TLK), lumbar lordosis (LL), sacral slope (SS), pelvic tilt (PT), pelvic incidence (PI), C7 sagittal vertical axis (C7-SVA), T1 spinopelvic inclination (T1SPI), and T1 pelvic angle (TPA).

METHODS

Radiographs were obtained in the standing and sitting positions. The objective variables analyzed statistically were spine alignments (CL, TK, TLK, LL, C7-SVA, T1SPI, TPA, SS, PT, and PI) measured in the standing position, body alignments (CL, TK, TLK, LL, C7-SVA, T1SPI, TPA, SS, and PT) measured in the sitting position, and stand-to-sit changes (∆CL, ∆TK, ∆TLK, ∆LL, ∆C7-SVA, ∆T1SPI, ∆TPA, ∆SS, and ∆PT). Explanatory variables were sex, age, body height, and body mass index.

RESULTS

Changing posture from standing to sitting decreased CL by an average of 5.3°, slightly decreased TK by an average of 1.3°, increased TLK by an average of 6.8°, decreased LL by an average of 35°, decreased SS by an average of 49.2°, increased PT by an average of 49.2°, shifted C7-SVA backward by an average of 106.7 mm, decreased T1SPI by an average of 18.8°, and increased TPA by an average of 21.1°. Statistical analysis revealed that ΔLL was significantly decreased in elderly participants. After the stand-to-sit change, ΔTLK and ∆TPA were significantly increased in taller participants and ΔT1SPI was significantly decreased in taller participants.

CONCLUSIONS

Among other changes, most notably LL is decreased and the pelvic tilt is increased when a person is sitting in a car seat. However, these changes in spine alignment differ with age and height. These findings may be useful for the development of future design of seats and for achieving appropriate surgical restoration of spine alignment.

Between-session reliability of opto-electronic motion capture in measuring sagittal posture and 3-D ranges of motion of the thoracolumbar spine

This study evaluated between-session reliability of opto-electronic motion capture to measure trunk posture and three-dimensional ranges of motion (ROM). Nineteen healthy participants aged 24-74 years underwent spine curvature, pelvic tilt and trunk ROM measurements on two separate occasions. Rigid four-marker clusters were attached to the skin overlying seven spinous processes, plus single markers on pelvis landmarks. Rigid body rotations of spine marker clusters were calculated to determine neutral posture and ROM in flexion, extension, total lateral bending (left-right) and total axial rotation (left-right). Segmental spine ROM values were in line with previous reports using opto-electronic motion capture. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) and standard error of measurement (SEM) were calculated as measures of between-session reliability and measurement error, respectively. Retroreflective markers showed fair to excellent between-session reliability to measure thoracic kyphosis, lumbar lordosis, and pelvic tilt (ICC = 0.82, 0.63, and 0.54, respectively). Thoracic and lumbar segments showed highest reliabilities in total axial rotation (ICC = 0.78) and flexion-extension (ICC = 0.77-0.79) ROM, respectively. Pelvic segment showed highest ICC values in flexion (ICC = 0.78) and total axial rotation (ICC = 0.81) trials. Furthermore, it was estimated that four or fewer repeated trials would provide good reliability for key ROM outcomes, including lumbar flexion, thoracic and lumbar lateral bending, and thoracic axial rotation. This demonstration of reliability is a necessary precursor to quantifying spine kinematics in clinical studies, including assessing changes due to clinical treatment or disease progression.

Pseudarthrosis in adult and pediatric spinal deformity surgery: a systematic review of the literature and meta-analysis of incidence, characteristics, and risk factors

We conducted a systematic review with meta-analysis and qualitative synthesis. This study aims to characterize pseudarthrosis after long-segment fusion in spinal deformity by identifying incidence rates by etiology, risk factors for its development, and common features. Pseudarthrosis can be a painful and debilitating complication of spinal fusion that may require reoperation. It is poorly characterized in the setting of spinal deformity. The MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane databases were searched for clinical research including spinal deformity patients treated with long-segment fusions reporting pseudarthrosis as a complication. Meta-analysis was performed on etiologic subsets of the studies to calculate incidence rates for pseudarthrosis. Qualitative synthesis was performed to identify characteristics of and risk factors for pseudarthrosis. The review found 162 articles reporting outcomes for 16,938 patients which met inclusion criteria. In general, the included studies were of medium to low quality according to recommended reporting standards and study design. Meta-analysis calculated an incidence of 1.4% (95% CI 0.9-1.8%) for pseudarthrosis in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis, 2.2% (95% CI 1.3-3.2%) in neuromuscular scoliosis, and 6.3% (95% CI 4.3-8.2%) in adult spinal deformity. Risk factors for pseudarthrosis include age over 55, construct length greater than 12 segments, smoking, thoracolumbar kyphosis greater than 20°, and fusion to the sacrum. Choice of graft material, pre-operative coronal alignment, post-operative analgesics, and sex have no significant impact on fusion rates. Older patients with greater deformity requiring more extensive instrumentation are at higher risk for pseudarthrosis. Overall incidence of pseudarthrosis requiring reoperation is low in adult populations and very low in adolescent populations.