Investigation of Sway Back Posture Prevalence and Alignment of Spine and Lower Limb Joints in This Deformity

Objective: Sway Back posture is one of the most common postural deformity.This study aimed to define Sway back posture prevalence and quantitatively meassure of the joints alignment in it. Materials & Methods: In this cross sectional descriptive study The posture of 51 female students of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences at an average of 22.05±2.44 years was evaluated. First, subjects completed a general characteristics questionnaire. Scond, the amount of their pelvic sway was measured by a grid paper and plumb line. When the plumb line passed the more than 3cm posterior to mid point of ASIS (Anterior Superior Iliac Spine) - PSIS (Posterior Superior Jliac Spine) axis, the subjects were categorized in Sway back posture. Then with goniometer alignment of hip, knee and ankle joints were measured. Also, the pelvic inclination and kyphosis and lordosis angles were measured with a Pelvic Inclinometer and Flexicurve Ruler, respectively. Results: The mean value of lordosis in Sway back posture group was greater than normal group (p = 0.004). Though the amount of kyphosis and anterior tilt were greater in Sway back posture than normal group, but did not show any significant difference between them (P>0.05). In Sway back posture group, the hip and knee joints tend to flexion. The ankle showed dorsiflexion which had a significant corelation with the pelvic sway. The prevalence of this deformity was 39.2% and was more common than other spinal deformities in young female subjects. Conclusion: This study indicated that the prevalence of the Sway back posture in the population of our study is high (39.21%). Also, indicated that the lordose increased and the pelvic displaced to anterior without noticeable changing in alignment of the thorasic region, joint of lower extremity and pelvic inclinatio

The Validity and Reliability of Measurement of Thoracic Kyphosis Using Flexible Ruler in Postural Hyper Kyphotic Patients

Objective: Increased normal thoracic kyphosis due to postural reasons is one of the conditions which needs accurately be measured for better evaluation and treatment .Flexible Ruler is a tool which measures the amount of kyphosis non-invasively but there is not any study about its validity and reliability in postural hyper Kyphotic subjects. The objective of this study was investigating the validity and reliability of measurement taken by flexible ruler in quantifying the amount of thoracic kyphosis in postural hyper kyphotic patients. Materials & Methods: In 25 patients with postural hyper-kyphosis and 15 healthy subjects we measured the amount of kyphosis twice using flexible ruler by a single tester. In kyphotic subjects also the amount of kyphosis was measured as Cobb angle on radiographic films in two times by one tester and repeated in one time by another tester. The Reliability of measurements in two subject groups and validity of measurements compared with radiology in kyphotic group was studied. Results: In both of the groups we found excellent Intratester reliability in measurement of kyphosis using flexible ruler. The measurement of kyphosis on radiological films also had excellent Intratester and intertester reliability. The validity of the measurement of kyphosis angle using flexible ruler was very good but the" Index of Kyphosis" on the curve taken by flexible ruler had poor validity. Conclusion: Based on our results, the flexible ruler can be used as a valid and reliable tool for non-invasive measurement of thoracic curve in healthy and postural kyphotic subjects