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Does age affect the response of pelvis and spine to simulated leg length discrepancies? A rasterstereographic pilot study

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to investigate age differences in the response of the spine and pelvis to simulated leg length inequalities (LLIs).

Methods

A total of 107 subjects, separated into three age groups (group 1: 20–39 years, group 2: 40–59 years, group 3: >60 years), were used to evaluate for any age effects in the response to LLIs. LLIs of +10, +20, and +30 mm were simulated with a simulation platform on both sides, and the respective changes of pelvic position (pelvic obliquity, pelvic torsion) and spinal posture (lateral deviation, surface rotation, kyphotic, and lordotic angles) were measured with a rasterstereographic system.

Results

In all three age groups an increase in LLI led to significant changes in the pelvic position as measured by the parameters of pelvic obliquity and torsion. No significant differences in the response of the pelvis to the LLIs were found between the age groups. In all age groups an increase in surface rotation and lateral deviation of the spine with increasing LLIs was found. However, none of these parameters responded significantly different between the three age groups.

Conclusions

Under static conditions, LLIs lead to significant changes of the pelvic position and spinal posture. Despite all known age-related changes, no significant differences of the measured pelvic and spinal parameters in elderly patients as a response to the simulated LLIs occurred.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgery, Klinikum Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany

    Michael Wild

  2. Department of Trauma and Hand Surgery, University Hospital Duesseldorf, Moorenstr. 5, Duesseldorf, 40225, Germany

    Britta Kühlmann, Anna Stauffenberg, Pascal Jungbluth & Mohssen Hakimi

  3. Department of Sports Medicine, University Hospital Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany

    Walter Rapp

  4. Department of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, USA

    Marcel Betsch

Authors
  1. Michael Wild
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  2. Britta Kühlmann
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  3. Anna Stauffenberg
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  4. Pascal Jungbluth
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  5. Mohssen Hakimi
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  6. Walter Rapp
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  7. Marcel Betsch
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Correspondence to Britta Kühlmann.

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Wild, M., Kühlmann, B., Stauffenberg, A. et al. Does age affect the response of pelvis and spine to simulated leg length discrepancies? A rasterstereographic pilot study. Eur Spine J 23, 1449–1456 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00586-013-3152-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00586-013-3152-3

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