The shape of anterior-posterior spinal curvature in post-menopausal women with osteoporosis.

Background. The co-occurrence of kyphotic posture and low bone density in elderly women has never been completely explained. The aim of our study was to assess postural changes (the shape of spinal curvatures) in elderly women with advanced spinal osteoporosis. Material and methods. We examined 62 women (32 with osteoporosis and 30 with normal BMD) 52 to 84 years of age. The photogrammetric method based on the moiré phenomenon was used to measure the spinal contour (kyphosis and lordosis), and DEXA was employed to assess bone mineral density (BMD) at the lumbar spine level. Results. The group with osteoporosis had significantly greater kyphosis (p<0.05) than the group without osteoporosis; however, we found a correlation between the BMD and the parameters of the spinal contour. In the group of women with osteoporosis, the BMI was significantly correlated with the lumbar lordosis angle (p<0.01), the compensation index (p<0.01), and the BMD (p<0.01), and it was also highly correlated with the inclination angle of the lumbosacral spinal segment (p<0.001). Another significant correlation occurred between the lumbosacral spinal segment inclination angle and height loss (p<0.05). A weak correlation was observed between age and the inclination angle of the upper thoracic spinal segment (p<0.05). Conclusion. The observed changes in body posture in women with osteoporosis result primarily from enlargement of the upper section of thoracic kyphosis.