Development of a novel balance assessment tool and its validation in the study of patients with symptomatic spinal deformity

The prevalence of scoliosis in those over age 60 varies from 39%-68%. Common presenting symptoms include back pain, radiculopathy, and progressive deformity. Radiographic characteristics have been previously described that correlate with these symptoms including vertebral spondylolisthesis, endplate obliquity, lumbar hypolordosis, thoracolumbar junction kyphosis and positive sagittal balance. Nevertheless, asymptomatic volunteers present with similar spinal deformities. It is likely that other factors such as age, body habitus, and exercise capacity affect or outweigh the severity of radiographic parameters. The ability to maintain the center of gravity of the body within the cone of economy results from a combination of alignment parameters, but also from neuromuscular control.

The aim of this study is to validate a Wii Nintendo balance board evaluation tool for the study of adult spinal deformity, by exploring correlations between the center of pressure sway area and sway path trajectory with clinical outcome scores, patient demographics and radiographic alignment parameters in patients with spinal deformity.