Early Postural Stability Changes in Patients Undergoing Correction of Spinal Deformity: A Prospective, Controlled...

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Biomechanical Engineering
• Rehabilitation Medicine

Background:

• Adult spinal deformity (ASD) is a common condition often requiring surgical intervention.
• While spinopelvic parameters are known predictors of outcomes, the role of postural stability in ASD patients remains understudied.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate early changes in postural stability after surgical correction of adult spinal deformity.
• To compare the postural stability of ASD patients with healthy controls post-surgery.

Main Methods:

• A prospective cohort study involving 16 adult patients with ASD undergoing spinal fusion and 14 healthy controls.
• Force plate analysis was used to assess postural stability, measuring center of pressure (COP), center of gravity (COG), and cone of economy (COE).
• Preoperative and postoperative spinopelvic parameters were also evaluated.

Main Results:

• Preoperatively, ASD patients showed greater COG and head sway than controls.
• Postoperatively, ASD patients demonstrated reduced COP, COG, and head sway, with stability approaching that of healthy controls.
• Significant improvements were observed in key spinopelvic parameters like pelvic incidence-lumbar lordosis and sagittal vertical axis.

Conclusions:

• Surgical correction of ASD leads to early improvements in postural stability, comparable to healthy individuals.
• Force plate assessment is a valuable tool for evaluating postoperative recovery in ASD patients.
• Further research is warranted to explore the impact of improved postural stability on long-term clinical and radiographic outcomes.