Radiographic and balance characteristics for patient with osteoporotic vertebral fracture

Abstract

Osteoporosis is a common health issue and leads to many fractures as well as balance problems. The radiographic and balance characteristics for different types of spinal deformity caused by osteoporosis are still unknown. The purposes of this study were to investigate the differences in radiographic and balance characteristics among different types of spinal deformities (lower kyphosis and whole kyphosis) and normal spines. Sagittal anterior‐posterior and medial‐lateral radiographic views were taken for radiographic analysis, while forceplate data at zero, three, six, and nine minutes of standing were employed for balance testing. There were significant differences in radiographic findings and balance performances between osteoporotic subjects and normal individuals. The lower kyphotic group revealed significantly greater spinal curvatures such as T‐Cobb's (50.9±18.3 degrees), L‐Cobb's (33.4±22.0 degrees), and SI angles (33.4±22.0 degrees) than those of the whole kyphotic group. However, significantly greater C7‐S1 distance (6.9±3.5.0 cm) and C7‐Lapex distance (6.2±3.9 cm) were found in the whole kyphotic group. For balance performance, the sway area of normal, lower kyphotic and whole kyphotic groups are 37.4±19.1 mm2, 71.9±71.2 mm2 and 119.1±114.8 mm2, respectively. The study suggested balance performance could be predicted by spinal lateral radiographies for patients with osteoporotic vertebral fractures.