Roentgenographic analysis of posture in spinal osteoporotics.

This study was designed to investigate the relationship between postural deformities--including both the spine and lower extremities--and clinical symptoms in spinal osteoporotics. Lateral roentgenographic films of 100 osteoporotic patients taken in a standing position were analyzed. Thoracic kyphosis, a primary deformity of the osteoporotic spine, appeared compensated by the lumbar spine, sacroiliac joint, hip joint, and knee joint, respectively. Low-back pain was highly associated with decreased lumbar lordosis and increased sacropelvic angle, suggesting that the sacroiliac joint was one of the causes of low-back pain.