title: Associations between thoracic kyphosis, head posture, and craniofacial morphology in young adults.
abstract: The aim of the present study was to investigate associations between thoracic hyper- and hypokyphosis, head posture, and craniofacial morphology in young adults. Using forward bending test and spinal pantographic measurements, 31 subjects, 16 with thoracic hyper- and 15 with hypokyphosis, were selected from a population-based cohort of 430 young adults. Lateral roentgen-cephalograms were taken in natural head posture and craniofacial and postural angular measurements were calculated. Any statistically significant differences between the groups thoracic hyperkyphosis and thoracic hypokyphosis--were analysed using Student's t test. Subjects with thoracic hyperkyphosis had a larger atlantocervical angle (At/ CVT, P < 0.01) than subjects with thoracic hypokyphosis. However, head position (NSL/VER) was similar in both groups, probably owing to the visual perception control of craniovertical relation. There was no statistically significant difference in craniofacial morphologyy between the groups.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthodontics, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge, Sweden.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Zepa
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hurmerinta
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Kovero
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nissinen
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Könönen
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Huggare
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002508:Cephalometry; D005145:Face / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D005260:Female; D006257:Head / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007738:Kyphosis / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D009333:Neck / Q000502:physiology; D011187:Posture; D011862:Radiography, Panoramic; D012886:Skull / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D019291:Skull Base / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013904:Thoracic Vertebrae