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Updated: May 29, 2026
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Evaluation of Patients' Posture and Gait Profile After Lumbar Fusion Surgery by Video Rasterstereography and Treadmill Gait Analysis
Published on: March 23, 2019
Which postures are most suitable in assessing spinal fusion using radiostereometric analysis?
Hadi N Boustani1, Antonius Rohlmann, Richard van der Put
1Julius Wolff Institute, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353 Berlin, Germany.
Clinical Biomechanics (Bristol, Avon)
|September 20, 2011
Summary
Radiostereometric analysis (RSA) for spinal fusion assessment is most reliable using specific postures. Standing with maximum flexion and lying with maximum extension provide the most sensitive marker motion detection for fusion evaluation.
Area of Science:
- Spinal fusion assessment
- Biomechanical analysis
- Radiostereometric analysis
Background:
- Plain radiography is insufficient for accurate spinal fusion assessment.
- Radiostereometric analysis (RSA) offers improved reliability for fusion evaluation.
- Optimal patient postures for RSA in spinal fusion remain undetermined.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify the most suitable patient postures for radiostereometric analysis (RSA) in assessing spinal fusion.
- To compare marker motion changes across different postures and fusion stages.
Main Methods:
- A finite element model simulated L4-L5 spinal fusion with posterior instrumentation.
- Marker distance changes were calculated between various postures (standing, flexion, extension, rotation, lying) at different fusion stages (pre-fusion, early, late).
Main Results:
- Anterior markers exhibited the most significant motion between postures.
- The greatest differences in marker motion were observed between standing flexion and lying extension postures, particularly between pre-fusion and early-fusion stages (0.54 mm) and early- and late-fusion stages (0.34 mm).
Conclusions:
- Standing with maximum upper body flexion and lying with maximum trunk extension are the optimal postures for radiostereometric analysis (RSA) of spinal fusion.
- These specific postures enhance the sensitivity of marker motion detection for evaluating fusion progression.
