Functional Reach Test as a Clinical Tool for Assessing Postural Balance Limits Among Adult Spinal Deformity Patients
University of Kansas Medical Center
Summary
Adult spinal deformity (ASD) is a common spinal condition that often impacts an individual's ability to stand and maintain an upright posture. Poor balance often limits an individual's ability to perform basic activities of daily life (ADL) and can lead to disability. Current considerations of correcting ASD to improve balance focus on the amount of sway that one exhibits during normal standing. However, current tests do not provide insight into the limits of balance during normal ADL. The goal of this research is to develop a new balance assessment that includes a functional reach test (FRT) to provide numerical data on the limits of one's ability to maintain balance. The study will include both ASD patients and matched healthy adults and will compare postural sway measures between them. Wearable motion tracking sensors and a force plate will be used to monitor body movement and changes in the center of pressure under foot during normal standing and during a FRT. Data from this study will inform spine surgeons of ASD patient's risk of balance loss in daily life and enable further research on the effects of surgical techniques to restore balance among ASD surgery patients.
Description
While functional balance metrics are increasingly being recognized as important objective indicators of disability associated with ASD, there is a need for a refinement of existing balance assessments to provide more clinically relevant information to better assist in the development of treatment strategies and in assessing treatment outcomes. The use of force plates and wearable sensors is growing among spine surgeons during patient assessments, so it is pertinent to refine test protocols that utilize this equipment rather than propose new methods with unproven or unfamiliar equipment. Standa…
Eligibility
- Age range
- 18+ years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Yes
Adult Spinal Deformity Patient Inclusion Criteria: * Adults over the age of 18 * Diagnosed with adult spinal deformity according to the SRS-Schwab Adult Spinal Deformity Classification System * Indicated for deformity corrective surgery including multilevel spinal fusion of three or more levels * Lowest instrumented level includes S1 or pelvic fixation * Able to perform functional activities without the use of any assistance or support * devices Adult Spinal Deformity Patient Exclusion Criteria: * Indicated for spinal fusion due to spinal tumor, trauma, or infection * ASD patients who do no…
Interventions
- ProcedureSpinal Fusion
Realignment and fusion of adult spinal deformity
- OtherNo intervention
No intervention for control group.
Location
- University of Kansas Medical CenterKansas City, Kansas