title: Thoracic and lumbar spinal curvatures in Nigerian adults.
abstract: The thoracic and lumbar curvatures of 105 Nigerian adults have been measured with a flexible rule (flexicurve). The lumbar curvature is relatively greater in women. Compared with a previous survey of Europeans, the curvatures in both men and women appear to be about 20 per cent greater in Nigerians. This is likely to be a genetic difference but the Nigerian practice of carrying heavy loads on the head may be a contributory factor.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000886:Anthropometry; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007738:Kyphosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008141:Lordosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009549:Nigeria; D012737:Sex Factors; D013909:Thorax