European spine journal : official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society
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Multicenter Study Comparative Study
Sagittal spinopelvic balance in normal children and adolescents.
The sagittal spinopelvic balance is poorly documented in normal pediatric subjects. The purpose of this study is to characterize the sagittal spinopelvic balance in the pediatric population and to evaluate the correlations between spinopelvic parameters. Seven parameters were evaluated from the lateral standing radiographs of 341 normal subjects aged 3-18 years old: thoracic kyphosis (TK), thoracic tilt (TT), lumbar lordosis (LL), lumbar tilt (LT), sacral slope (SS), pelvic tilt (PT) and pelvic incidence (PI). ⋯ Sacral orientation (SS) is correlated with the shape (LL) and orientation (LT) of the lumbar spine. Adjacent anatomical regions of the spine and pelvis are interdependent, and their relationships result in a stable and compensated posture, presumably to minimize energy expenditure. Results from this study could be used as an aid for the planning of surgery in pediatric patients with spinal deformity in order to restore a relatively normal sagittal spinopelvic balance.