Affiliations: [a] Department of Health and Sport Medicine, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran | [b] Physical Therapy, Mayo Clinic, College of Medicine, Rochester, MN, USA
Correspondence:
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Corresponding author: Foad Seidi, Department of Health and Sport Medicine, University of Tehran, Kargare Shomali St, P.O.B: 1439813117, Tehran, Iran. Tel.: +98 216 111 8928; Fax: +98 218 822 5482; E-mail: foadseidi@ut.ac.ir
Abstract: Background and Objective:The amount of postural sway and sagittal deviation of lumbar lordosis angle in measurements of standing lumbar curvature obtained by flexible curve can be decreased when using a spine stabilizer instrument. However, this assumption has not been investigated so far. This study aims to determine the effect of using a spine stabilizer instrument on the validity, reliability, and standard errors of measurement of flexible curve in the standing lumbar curvature measurements. Material and Method:Thirty-four volunteer men aged between 19 and 30 years participated in the study By using a 50-cm flexible curve, with and without spine stabilizer instrument, and a lumbar simple lateral radiograph (LSLR), the standing lumbar curvature was measured by three methods for each subject. These methods were called A, B and C, respectively. Results:By using the Pearson’s correlation analysis at significance level of 0.05, the coefficient of correlation between standing lumbar curvature measurements in methods A and B with C were 0.95 and 0.84, respectively. In addition, the intraclass correlation coefficient for methods A and B were 0.94 and 0.79, respectively. Also, results of the one-way analysis of variance for comparison of pairs indicated a significant difference in the mean values of standing lumbar curvature angles between methods B and C. Conclusions:Results indicated the flexible curve was an appropriate instrument for standing lumbar curvature measurements. Using spine stabilizer instrument to control postural sway increases the validity and reliability of flexible curve method and decreases its standard errors of measurement.
