Assessment of the trunk motion of scoliotic patients during lateral movement based on ultrasound motion analysis system

In this study, we determined the differences in angle variation between the location and direction of scoliotic patients during trunk lateral movement using ultrasound motion analysis system. 20 adolescents who diagnosed idiopathic scoliosis were divided into four groups according to their curve location and direction. Experimental procedure was divided into two sections: initial position, and left/right lateral bending position. To analyzed the alteration of the trunk motion, ultrasound markers were represented the segments and it refers to the lumbar, thoraco/lumbar, lower thoracic, and upper thoracic regions. In the results of this study, significant angle variations were shown in the lumbar and thoracic regions during left and right lateral bending for the scoliotic groups. In addition, differences in angle variation between left and right lateral bending decreased gradually and it was related to the compensatory movement of the trunk segments according to the curve magnitude defined as Cobb angle. From these results, we concluded that the location and direction of the curve in the scoliotic patients may be influence on dynamic trunk movement and postural balance in static and dynamic conditions. Furthermore, scoliosis ultrasound motions analysis system can be utilized to analyze the dynamic motion of trunk segments of idiopathic scoliosis patients in adolescence.