Project Details
Projekt
Dynamics of posture, shape, and motion of asymptomatic subjects and LBP patients in daily life activities
Subject Area
Orthopaedics, Traumatology, Reconstructive Surgery
Term
since 2021
Project identifier
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 439742772
The current clinical “gold standard” for measuring spinal shape and motion (radiological “snap-shots” obtained during upright standing, upper-body flexion and extension postures) should be questioned. Despite their importance in current treatment decision-making, such static information lacks relevance in determining body posture and spinal shape and motion in daily life. Thus, a valid, objective, and reliable characterization of patient gross anatomy and spinal functionality is missing in daily practice treating patients with low back pain (LBP). We developed and validated a non-invasive technology for dynamic, continuous and long-term assessment of thoraco-lumbar spinal shapes and motions as well as pelvic orientation and motions. The system enables short-term measurements considering a standard choreography including, for example, flexion and extension similar to clinical functional x-ray evaluations as well as long-term measurements incorporating measurements up to 24 hours without restrictions for the subject. In preliminary analyses, we could clearly highlight substantial differences between long- (real-life) and short-term (i.e., radiological “snap-shots”) measurements. However, physiological ranges for specific pathologies have to be identified in such long-term measurements of body posture, spinal shape and motion to identify thresholds and achieve sensitivity and specificity in the diagnosis of spinal diseases.The scientific aims of SP1 are (1) to characterize cohorts of asymptomatic individuals and chronic LBP patients with respect to body posture, spinal shape and motion in daily life over a minimum of 24 hours and (2) to identify the extent to which conventional clinical assessment (“snapshots”) could represent the body posture and spinal shape and motion recorded throughout daily life. Furthermore, we will investigate (3) how individual anthropometric and body parameters, lifestyle factors, occupation and LBP (intensity and chronicity) influence spinal shape and motion. In collaboration with SP2, we will develop (4) a mechanistic understanding of the differences between physiological and pathological changes and, together with SP4 and SP5, (5) physiological reference values and bounds for postures, shapes and motions to create new protocols to assess the most frequent spino-pelvic alignment during daily life activities.We hypothesize that (1) real-life dynamic and continuous measurements of posture, shape, and motion are influenced by physical activity and occupation and (2) significantly associated with the intensity and chronicity of pain.
DFG Programme
Research Units
Subproject of
FOR 5177:
The Dynamics of the Spine: Mechanics, Morphology and Motion towards a comprehensive Diagnosis of Low Back Pain
Co-Investigators
Professorin Dr. Lena Fleig; Professor Dr. Christoph Stein
