Effect of Pelvis Adjusting Method on Leg Length Inequality and Center of Gravity of Patients with Hip Joint Disorder

Abstract

Hip joint disorder in adults is an osteopathic disease, characterized by deformity and contracture of joint tissues, and the patients exhibit gait pain, restricted motility of legs, and limping gait accompanied by the leg length inequality. Patients with hip joint disorder further show equilibrium dysfunction, and have considerable problems in maintaining balance of center of gravity. In the present study, we measured equilibrium function of 4 adult female patients with hip joint disorder (average age, 51 years), and performed Pelvis Adjusting Method (PAM) on them in order to examine the effectiveness of PAM. Compared with healthy subjects, the patients revealed no significant difference in body sway during standing with both legs or one leg, but could not show a smooth locus of Center of Gravity Rotation (CGR), exhibiting approximately one half of vertical and horizontal lengths. This suggests that restricted motility of hip joint may limit the movement of whole body. After receiving PAM, the patients showed changes in leg length inequility, and longitudinal point of center of gravity, and improvements in body sway and CGR (horizontal length). The results suggest that sacroiliac joint may play a pivotal role in the vital mechanism, and relate closely to motility of hip joint. It is also suggested that the repetition of CGR exercise and PAM may be effective for the improvement in equilibrium function of patients with hip joint disorder.