title: Objective integrated assessment of functional outcomes in reduction mammaplasty.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of our study was an objective integrated assessment of the functional outcomes of reduction mammaplasty.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study involved 17 women undergoing reduction mammaplasty from March 2009 to June 2011. Each patient was assessed before surgery and 2 months postoperatively with the original association of 4 subjective and objective assessment methods: a physiatric clinical examination, the Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire, the Berg Balance Scale, and a static force platform analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All of the tests proved multiple statistically significant associated outcomes demonstrating a significant improvement in the functional status following reduction mammaplasty. Surgical correction of breast hypertrophy could achieve both spinal pain relief and recovery of performance status in everyday life tasks, owing to a muscular postural functional rearrangement with a consistent antigravity muscle activity sparing. Pain reduction in turn could reduce the antalgic stiffness and improved the spinal range of motion. In our sample, the improvement of the spinal range of motion in flexion matched a similar improvement in extension. Recovery of a more favorable postural pattern with reduction of the anterior imbalance was demonstrated by the static force stabilometry. Therefore, postoperatively, all of our patients narrowed the gap between the actual body barycenter and the ideal one. The static force platform assessment also consistently confirmed the effectiveness of an accurate clinical examination of functional impairment from breast hypertrophy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The static force platform assessment might help the clinician to support the diagnosis of functional impairment from a breast hypertrophy with objectively based data.
authors.affiliation: Plastic Surgery Unit, University of Pavia, Salvatore Maugeri Research and Care Institute, Pavia, Italy; Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Unit, University of Pavia, San Matteo Research and Care Institute, Pavia, Italy; and Department of Computer Engineering and Systems Science, University of Pavia, Salvatore Maugeri Research and Care Institute, Pavia, Italy.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Nicoletti
authors.affiliation: Plastic Surgery Unit, University of Pavia, Salvatore Maugeri Research and Care Institute, Pavia, Italy; Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Unit, University of Pavia, San Matteo Research and Care Institute, Pavia, Italy; and Department of Computer Engineering and Systems Science, University of Pavia, Salvatore Maugeri Research and Care Institute, Pavia, Italy.
authors.forename: Ilaria
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Passaro
authors.affiliation: Plastic Surgery Unit, University of Pavia, Salvatore Maugeri Research and Care Institute, Pavia, Italy; Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Unit, University of Pavia, San Matteo Research and Care Institute, Pavia, Italy; and Department of Computer Engineering and Systems Science, University of Pavia, Salvatore Maugeri Research and Care Institute, Pavia, Italy.
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Malovini
authors.affiliation: Plastic Surgery Unit, University of Pavia, Salvatore Maugeri Research and Care Institute, Pavia, Italy; Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Unit, University of Pavia, San Matteo Research and Care Institute, Pavia, Italy; and Department of Computer Engineering and Systems Science, University of Pavia, Salvatore Maugeri Research and Care Institute, Pavia, Italy.
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Faga
authors.affiliation: Plastic Surgery Unit, University of Pavia, Salvatore Maugeri Research and Care Institute, Pavia, Italy; Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Unit, University of Pavia, San Matteo Research and Care Institute, Pavia, Italy; and Department of Computer Engineering and Systems Science, University of Pavia, Salvatore Maugeri Research and Care Institute, Pavia, Italy.
authors.forename: Elena Dalla
authors.initials: ED
authors.lastname: Toffola