Multivariate shoulder and spine relationship using planar range of motion assessment

Area of Science:

• Musculoskeletal biomechanics
• Clinical assessment techniques
• Human movement analysis

Background:

• Goniometry and posture analysis are standard clinical tools for shoulder and spine evaluation.
• Individual assessments may miss the interconnectedness of these anatomical regions.
• Understanding shoulder-spine relationships is vital for comprehensive musculoskeletal diagnosis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between shoulder active range of motion (ROM) and spine curvature.
• To identify how shoulder and spine measurements correlate in asymptomatic young adults.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional study design.
• Clinical assessment of 163 asymptomatic young adults in a university setting.
• Multivariate canonical correlation analysis to determine shoulder-spine relationships using active ROM and posture data.

Main Results:

• A significant shoulder-spine relationship was identified through planar assessments and multivariate analysis.
• Key measures contributing to this relationship included shoulder flexion, internal/external rotation, trunk flexion, and lumbar lordosis.
• The study highlights a multivariate connection between shoulder ROM and spinal posture.

Conclusions:

• Shoulder ROM assessments should consider the associated spine region, and vice versa.
• The identified multivariate shoulder-spine ROM relationship necessitates integrated evaluation.
• Clinical interpretation of shoulder or spine assessments should account for the interconnectedness of these regions.