Evaluating Kyphosis and Lordosis in Students by Using a Flexible Ruler and Their Relationship with Severity and Frequency of Thoracic and Lumbar Pain.
- Author:
Sedigheh Sadat MIRBAGHERI
1
;
Amir RAHMANI-RASA
;
Farzad FARMANI
;
Payam AMINI
;
Mohammad Reza NIKOO
Author Information
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords: Kyphosis; Lordosis; Pain
- MeSH: Animals; Female; Humans; Kyphosis*; Ligaments; Lordosis*; Low Back Pain; Male; Musculoskeletal Pain; Posture; Spine; Visual Analog Scale; Surveys and Questionnaires
- From:Asian Spine Journal 2015;9(3):416-422
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
- Abstract: STUDY DESIGN: A cross-sectional, descriptive study. PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between kyphosis and lordosis measured by using a flexible ruler and musculoskeletal pain in students of Hamadan University of Medical Sciences. OVERVIEW OF LITERATURE: The spine supports the body during different activities by maintaining appropriate body alignment and posture. Normal alignment of the spine depends on its structural, muscular, bony, and articular performance. METHODS: Two hundred forty-one students participated in this study. A single examiner evaluated the angles of lumbar lordosis and thoracic kyphosis by using a flexible ruler. To determine the severity and frequency of pain in low-back and inter-scapular regions, a tailor-made questionnaire with visual analog scale was used. Finally, using the Kendall correlation coefficient, the data were statistically analyzed. RESULTS: The mean value of lumbar lordosis was 34.46degrees+/-12.61degrees in female students and 22.46degrees+/-9.9degrees in male students. The mean value of lumbar lordosis significantly differed between female and male students (p<0.001). However, there was no difference in the level of the thoracic curve (p=0.288). Relationship between kyphosis measured by using a flexible ruler and inter-scapular pain in male and female students was not significant (p=0.946). However, the relationship between lumbar lordosis and low back pain was statistically significant (p=0.006). Also, no significant relationship was observed between abnormal kyphosis and frequency of inter-scapular pain, and between lumbar lordosis and low back pain. CONCLUSIONS: Lumbar lordosis contributes to low back pain. The causes of musculoskeletal pain could be muscle imbalance and muscle and ligament strain.
