How to measure kyphosis in everyday clinical practice: a reliability study on different methods

Area of Science:

• Orthopedics
• Biomedical Engineering
• Clinical Measurement

Background:

• Sagittal plane measurements are crucial for managing Idiopathic Scoliosis (AIS) and Hyperkyphosis (HK).
• Existing clinical tools for everyday sagittal assessment are limited and understudied.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the repeatability of various methods for collecting sagittal spinal profiles in patients with spinal deformities.
• To establish clinically significant measurement error limits for routine clinical practice.

Main Methods:

• Four studies were conducted on adolescent populations with AIS and HK.
• Methods included plumbline measurements, Video Rasterstereography, and the Inclimed device.
• Repeatability was assessed using Bland and Altman analysis, with variations in measurement thresholds.

Main Results:

• Normative data for plumbline measures were established for adolescent females and males.
• Correlation coefficients compared plumbline and Video Rasterstereography measures.
• Intra- and inter-rater reliability for the Inclimed device ranged from fair to good.
• Repeatability of sagittal distances with a 1 mm threshold was fair.

Conclusions:

• Several clinical instruments are available for sagittal plane assessment in AIS and hyperkyphosis.
• This study provides critical data on measurement limits in routine clinical settings.
• Understanding these limits is essential for accurate patient management.