The impact of lower limb compensation on the quality of posture in children and youth with scoliosis

Mariola Saulicz, Edward Saulicz, Janusz Nowotny, Bogdan Bacik

Mariola Saulicz, Edward Saulicz, Janusz Nowotny, Bogdan Bacik – The impact of lower limb compensation on the quality of posture in children and youth with scoliosis. Fizjoterapia Polska 2001; 1(4); 376-380

Abstract
Background. The use of orthopedic inserts to either correct true or pseudo-anisomelia or to help correct disordered body statics is a method of controlled external compensation often used in the corrective therapy of scoliosis. It has been proven that the use of orthopedic inserts to correct pseudo-anisomelia may lead to serious decompensation of the defect. These observation pertain to advanced structural distortion. The aim of this article, then, is to present a three-surface analysis of the influence of orthopedic inserts, lengthening one of the limbs, on the quality of the posture of children and youth with scoliosis. This analysis involved less advanced irregularities, which means that they had a larger component of functional changes and considerably greater corrective potential. Material and methods. The research was performed on a group of 82 children and young people ranging in age from 6 to 19 years (x = 12.0 +/- 3.1) who had the clinical symptoms of first-or second-grade scoliosis (x Cobb’s deviation = 22.8 +/- 9.5). The analysis pertained only to those children who had been advised to use leveling orthopedic inserts. The evaluation of posture was carried out twice – with and without an insert – using a computer set for testing body posture. Results. As essential connection was found between the height of the insert and the reduction of some of the first-, second-, and third-class characteristics of scoliosis. The improvement of body posture quality affected especially the frontal plane, and was accompanied by essential changes in the sagittal plane. In the transverse plane no univocally positive changes of body posture were recorded.

Key words:
anisomelia, leveling orthopedic inserts, controlled external compensationa

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