title: Does age affect the response of pelvis and spine to simulated leg length discrepancies? A rasterstereographic pilot study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to investigate age differences in the response of the spine and pelvis to simulated leg length inequalities (LLIs).
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 107 subjects, separated into three age groups (group 1: 20-39 years, group 2: 40-59 years, group 3: >60 years), were used to evaluate for any age effects in the response to LLIs. LLIs of +10, +20, and +30 mm were simulated with a simulation platform on both sides, and the respective changes of pelvic position (pelvic obliquity, pelvic torsion) and spinal posture (lateral deviation, surface rotation, kyphotic, and lordotic angles) were measured with a rasterstereographic system.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In all three age groups an increase in LLI led to significant changes in the pelvic position as measured by the parameters of pelvic obliquity and torsion. No significant differences in the response of the pelvis to the LLIs were found between the age groups. In all age groups an increase in surface rotation and lateral deviation of the spine with increasing LLIs was found. However, none of these parameters responded significantly different between the three age groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Under static conditions, LLIs lead to significant changes of the pelvic position and spinal posture. Despite all known age-related changes, no significant differences of the measured pelvic and spinal parameters in elderly patients as a response to the simulated LLIs occurred.
authors.affiliation: Department of Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgery, Klinikum Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wild
authors.forename: Britta
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kühlmann
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Stauffenberg
authors.forename: Pascal
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Jungbluth
authors.forename: Mohssen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hakimi
authors.forename: Walter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Rapp
authors.forename: Marcel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Betsch
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007738:Kyphosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D007870:Leg Length Inequality / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008141:Lordosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010384:Pelvic Bones / Q000502:physiology*; D010780:Photogrammetry; D010865:Pilot Projects; D013131:Spine / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult