Assessment of the functional state of the back muscles in girls with C-shaped low-grade scoliosis in a tensiomyographic image: An observational cross-sectional study.

PURPOSE: The study aimed to test the feasibility of using tensiomyography to assess the functional status of the latissimus dorsi and erector spinae muscles in girls with C-shaped low back scoliosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-five girls aged 13-15 took part in an observational (cross-sectional) study. The examination involved measurements using the tensiomyography method (TMG). Two groups of muscles were tested: latissimus dorsi and erector spinae on the concave and convex side of low-grade scoliosis. The following indicators were analyzed: Td-delay time, Tc-contraction time, and Dm-maximal muscle displacement. RESULTS: The analysis of Td revealed that values of this variable on the concave side were slightly lower compared to the convex side in both tested groups of muscles. Similarly, Tc values on the concave side were slightly lower than on the convex side of the curvature in both groups of muscles. In the case of Dm, lower displacement values and, consequently, greater muscle rigidity were observed on the concave side of the latissimus dorsi and the convex side of the erector spinae. CONCLUSIONS: The TMG method can be potentially used to diagnose the functional condition of muscles in patients with low-grade scoliosis. There were differences between the functional condition of the muscles on the concave and convex sides of the curvature.

Analysis of the Ability to Tolerate Body Balance Disturbance in Relation to Selected Changes in the Sagittal Plane of the Spine in Early School-Age Children.

The study aimed to estimate the ability to tolerate body balance disturbance in relation to selected changes in the sagittal plane of the spine in early school-age children. The study involved 189 children with an average age of 8.3 ± 0.7 years (aged 7−10). The tests included an interview, clinical examination (measurement of body weight and height, assessment of the course of the spinous processes of the thoracic and lumbar vertebrae, assessment of the location of selected anatomical landmarks of the torso), and a physical examination in which the shape of the spine surface was examined with the use of the photogrammetric method and the moiré effect projection. Body balance disturbance tolerance skills (BBDTS) were measured with the rotational test (RT). In the rotational test, the results of body balance disturbance tolerance skills show a slight but statistically significant correlation with the bodyweight of the examined children (Rs = 0.35, p < 0.001). This relationship was also statistically significant in the groups by gender. Among the measured indicators of the curvature of the spine in the sagittal plane, the correlation with the RT test result was mostly related to the α angle and the value was Rs = 0.15 (p = 0.04). In the group of girls, this correlation was stronger and amounted to Rs = 0.26 (p = 0.015). Among other measured correlations, the dependence of variables such as the bodyweight of the subjects and the α angle was shown. In conclusion, increasing lumbar lordosis results in the deterioration of balance disturbance tolerance skills. As body weight increases, body balance disturbance tolerance skills decrease.

Assessment of changes in the sagittal plane of the spine in girls with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis using the moire method.

BACKGROUND: The gold standard in the clinical assessment of the extent of scoliosis is the Cobb method but the analysis also covers the changes that occur within the spine and trunk in relation to the transverse and sagittal planes. OBJECTIVE: The study aimed to estimate changes in the sagittal plane of the spine in girls with right-sided thoracic adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. METHODS: The study involved 29 girls with scoliosis (13.6 ± 0.6 years) and 36 healthy girls as the comparison group. The tests included an interview, clinical examination (with the use of Adam's test and the Cobb angle), and examination of shape of the spine surface with the use of the photogrammetric method and the projection moire effect. RESULTS: Lower values of the thoracic kyphosis parameters were found in the scoliosis group. Significant differences were noted for the parameters of the lumbosacral section α (p= 0.02), thoracolumbar section ß (p< 0.001), the upper thoracic section γ (p< 0.001), thoracolumbar and upper thoracic section ß+γ (p< 0.001) and the total size of α+ß+γ (p< 0.001) curvatures. CONCLUSIONS: The study showed that with an increase in the angular value of the thoracic curvature, the thoracic kyphosis decreased.

Normal values for maximal static inspiratory and expiratory pressures in healthy children.

Maximal static respiratory pressures are a simple measure of respiratory muscle strength. In order to construct a set of equations describing normal values, we measured maximal inspiratory (P(Imax)) and expiratory (P(Emax)) pressures in 296 children (144 boys and 152 girls), aged 7-14 years, in sitting and standing positions. The boys reached higher values in sitting and standing positions for P(Imax) (-8.29 +/- 2.69 and -8.19 +/- 2.73 kPa, respectively) and P(Emax) (8.02 +/- 2.32 and 7.94 +/- 2.32 kPa, respectively) than girls (-6.53 +/- 1.99 and -6.60 +/- 2.03 kPa for P(Imax) and 6.91 +/- 1.79 and 7.13 +/- 1.81 kPa for P(Emax) for sitting and standing positions, respectively); the differences between boys and girls were highly significant (P < 0.001 in all instances). There were no differences regarding body position during measurements in both genders. Multiple correlation analysis showed significant correlations of pressures to age in boys in all cases, but in girls only for P(Imax) in standing position. Therefore, equations describing reference values were constructed with respect to age as the independent variable. Maximal pressures also correlated with maximal inspiratory and expiratory flows. The measurements of P(Imax) and P(Emax) are useful in assessing respiratory muscle strength despite their relatively large variability. P(Imax) and P(Emax) also correlate with maximum peak expiratory and inspiratory flows. Children generate lower pressures and lower maximal flows than adolescents and adults.