Reliability and Validity of the Index of Kyphosis on Sitting

Abstract

It is conjectured that kyphosis in the elderly is affected by the ability to control dynamic posture. In this study, with quantitative assessment of kyphosis as the objective, we performed measurement of the index of kyphosis based on the method of Milne et al. which uses a flexible curve ruler, on elderly persons undergoing physical therapy at our hospital, and investigated its reliability and validity. The inter-and intra-class correlation coefficients were 0.858 and 0.851, respectively, both showing a high reliability, and according to the observations, a significantly high correlation was found in their relationship to kyphosis assessment, Spearman's rank correlation coefficient 0.819 (p<0.01). It is considered that the measurement of the index of kyphosis can be used clinically. Furthermore, according to the observations, since scattering of the index of kyphosis was found at each level of kyphosis assessment, it suggests that measurement of the index of kyphosis is of use as a method which can assess kyphosis in detail.

Fall incidence and risk factors in patients after total knee arthroplasty

“…The index of kyphosis was represented by the height of the thoracic curve divided by spinal length. Kyphosis was defined as present if the index was greater than 15% [26].…”

One-year longitudinal study on spinal kyphosis and respiratory function in community-dwelling older Japanese adults who require long-term care or support

“…The shape of the curve was transcribed onto paper, and the length of the straight line connecting the C7 and L4 on the curve was defined as L (cm), the distance from the line to the apex of the curve was defined as H (cm), and the spinal kyphosis index was calculated using the technique described by Milne et al 11) . This scale has been validated and is considered reliable [11][12][13] , with higher values indicating greater kyphosis. There is no clear cutoff value; however, one study in the elderly defined spinal kyphosis as a spinal kyphosis index of ≥15 8) .…”

Changes in thickness of the transversus abdominis during the abdominal drawing-in manoeuvre and expiratory muscle training in elderly people

“…Mean age of the subjects was 84.9 ± 6.6 years (males: 84.4 ± 5.5 years; females: 85.3 ± 7.6 years), mean height was 155.2 ± 10.0 cm (males: 163.9 ± 6.1 cm; females: 148.6 ± 6.8 cm), mean weight was 54.3 ± 8.9 kg (males: 56.3 ± 9.2 kg; females: 52.8 ± 8.6 kg), mean maximal expiratory pressure (PEmax) was 54.8 ± 20.0 cm H 2 O (males: 65.4 ± 21.8 cm H 2 O; females: 46.9 ± 15.0 cm H 2 O), and mean kyphosis index (KI) was 11.9 ± 3.4 (males: 10.5 ± 2.9; females: 13.0 ± 3.5). There is no general definition of kyphosis posture in KI, and no clear cutoff value has been defined 16 , 17 ) , but referring to the kyphosis evaluation of Teragaki et al 10 ) , the degree of kyphosis falls within the category of normal to mild kyphosis.…”

“…First, evaluation of kyphosis and measurement of PEmax were performed on the first day. In order to evaluate kyphosis, we performed posture evaluation using a flexicurve ruler 10 ) . While the subjects maintained an erect posture, we traced the curvature of the back from the 7th cervical vertebra to the spinous process of the 4th lumbar vertebra on paper using a flexicurve ruler (Uchida, Tokyo, Japan).…”

“…Normally, various age-related changes occur in the body, such as age-related muscle atrophy 6 , 7 , 8 ) , increasing of the noncontractile tissue 8 , 9 ) , changes in posture such as kyphosis 10 , 11 ) , and reduced respiratory function 11 , 12 ) . These age-related changes may ascribe to reduction and delay of the TrA activity associated with the lumbopelvic region instability inducing LBP.…”