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BRIEF RESEARCH REPORT article

Front. Surg.
Sec. Orthopedic Surgery
Volume 11 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fsurg.2024.1461569
This article is part of the Research Topic Medical Images in Orthopedic Surgery: New Techniques and Advancements View all articles

Comparison between Rasterstereographic Scan and Orthopedic Examination for Posture Assessment: An observational study

Provisionally accepted
Samuel Weigel Samuel Weigel 1*Silvia Dullien Silvia Dullien 2Joachim Grifka Joachim Grifka 3Petra Jansen Petra Jansen 1
  • 1 Institute for Sports Science, Faculty of Human Sciences, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Bavaria, Germany
  • 2 Asklepios Kliniken Bad Abbach, Bad Abbach, Germany
  • 3 Orthopedic Traumatology Center, Regensburg, Germany

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Although the relationship between posture and back pain is still under debate, the potential role of body alignment highlights the importance of postural assessment in the health sector. Despite growing concern about musculoskeletal issues, there remains a lack of consensus on effective methods for detecting and pr postural anomalies.This observational study compared postural assessments conducted by orthopedic specialists with those obtained through rasterstereographical spine scans using the DIERS formetric system. Fiftyfour children from the third grade (mean age 9.4 years) underwent both assessments, allowing for a comprehensive examination of orthopedic abnormalities. Statistical analysis, including McNemar tests, was employed to compare the results of the assessments and evaluate potential discrepancies.The comparison between the orthopedic examination and the DIERS scan revealed significant differences in assessing trunk imbalance (p < 0.001), thoracic kyphosis (p < 0.001), and lumbar lordosis (p < 0.001). Additionally, the study identified a high prevalence of orthopedic abnormalities, with 79.6% of the examined children exhibiting at least one issue in the orthopedic visual assessment.The study highlights the divergence between orthopedic evaluations and DIERS scans, emphasizing the challenges in achieving consistent postural assessments. The static analysis provided by the DIERS system, which quantifies posture in angles and distances, contrasts with the dynamic, functionality-focused approach of orthopedic examinations. The findings raise questions about the practicality and significance of integrating rasterstereography into routine pediatric orthopedic practice. The results underscore the complexity of postural evaluations and advocate for a comprehensive approach to address the multifaceted nature of back health in children.

    Keywords: Postural abnormalities, Orthopedic examination, rasterstereography, Postural assessment, Orthopedic assessment

    Received: 08 Jul 2024; Accepted: 13 Sep 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Weigel, Dullien, Grifka and Jansen. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Samuel Weigel, Institute for Sports Science, Faculty of Human Sciences, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, 93040, Bavaria, Germany

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.