Posture Analysis of Japanese Healthy Adults and Patients with Low Back Pain and Back Pain Using the Spinal Mouse^®

Abstract

The postures of healthy adult subjects and patients with low back pain and back pain were compared using the Spinal Mouse^® (Index Ltd.). Sagittal posture assessment data obtained using this technique were similar to the information obtained from X-ray images. The reproducibility of measurement values was also confirmed.
In healthy adult subjects, the angle of thoracic kyphosis was significantly larger in the standing position than in the sitting position for both male and female subjects. The change in posture from the standing to sitting position resulted in a change in lumbar posture from lordosis to kyphosis for both male and female subjects. Patients with low back pain (the LP group) showed a reduced degree of lumbar lordosis compared to the control group. Those with back pain following fusion of an osteoporotic compression fracture showed increased lumbar kyphosis. The spinal range of motion with extension was lower in the LP group than in the control group for both male and female patients. Male patients also showed a decreased spinal range of motion with flexion. Patients with back pain (the BP group) showed a significant decrease in the range of motion with extension. Female patients in the BP group showed a smaller spinal range of motion with extension than female patients in the LP group.
Sagittal posture assessment using the Spinal Mouse was non-invasive without concern for radiation exposure and was effective for posture analysis of healthy adult subjects and patients with low back pain or back pain.