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Description of spine motion during gait in normal adolescents and young adults

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Abstract

Introduction

Standing radiographs allow analysis of spinal segments and their relative positioning. However, it requires a specific positioning influencing spinal alignment. Knowledge of trunk movements when walking is therefore an essential step to evaluate dynamic sagittal balance. Our objective was to define spinal junction kinematics and their correlations during gait in a healthy population.

Method

This is a prospective, single-center study. Between 2015 and 2017, 25 healthy volunteers were included. The measurements were taken in a motion analysis laboratory. Several kinematic parameters were studied, including spinal junction movements in the three planes and dynamic sagittal vertical axis (Dyn-SVA). Pearson correlation coefficients were calculated to determine the interactions between the spinal junctions.

Results

In the sagittal plane, the average amplitude of variation of the dyn-SVA was 25.5 cm (SD = 8.9). The average range of motion of the lumbosacral and thoracolumbar junction was approximately 3°, they operated in anti-phase during the gait cycle and were strongly correlated (r = −0.5069, p = 0.01). In the transverse plane, the anti-rotation of the upper body relative to the pelvis was mainly ensured by the opposite movements of the lumbosacral and thoracolumbar junction (r = 0.5689, p = 0.003). In the frontal plane, the lateral inclination in the lumbar region was made in the opposite direction from the pelvis toward the carrying member.

Conclusion

Although there is substantial inter-subject variability, our study characterized the angular movements in the three planes of the different spinal junctions, of the pelvis and the lower limbs during a gait cycle in a healthy population.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Gait Analysis Platform, Timone enfants, Aix-Marseille Université, Marseille, France

    Solène Prost, Benjamin Blondel, Vincent Pomero, Guillaume Authier, Christophe Boulay, Jean Luc Jouve & Sebastien Pesenti

  2. Spine Unit, Timone, Aix-Marseille Université, Marseille, France

    Solène Prost & Benjamin Blondel

  3. Pediatric Orthopedics, Timone enfants, Aix-Marseille University, Marseille, France

    Christophe Boulay, Jean Luc Jouve & Sebastien Pesenti

  4. Orthopédie Pédiatrique, APHM, CNRS, ISM, Hôpital de La Timone, Aix Marseille Univ, 264 rue Saint Pierre, 13005, Marseille, France

    Solène Prost, Benjamin Blondel, Christophe Boulay & Sebastien Pesenti

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  1. Solène Prost
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  2. Benjamin Blondel
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  3. Vincent Pomero
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Correspondence to Sebastien Pesenti.

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Prost, S., Blondel, B., Pomero, V. et al. Description of spine motion during gait in normal adolescents and young adults. Eur Spine J 30, 2520–2530 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00586-021-06918-w

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00586-021-06918-w

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