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. 2022 Sep 8;58(4):e625-e631.
doi: 10.1055/s-0042-1749462. eCollection 2023 Aug.

Is Shoulder Imbalance a Useful Parameter in the Screening of Idiopathic Scoliosis? A Preliminary Study

Pedro Augusto Rocha Torres  1 , Andre Moreira Castilho  2 , Kamila Rayane Campos Lopes  3 , Leonardo Pellizzoni  4 , Orlando Righesso  5 , Asdrubal Falavigna  6
Affiliations

Is Shoulder Imbalance a Useful Parameter in the Screening of Idiopathic Scoliosis? A Preliminary Study

Pedro Augusto Rocha Torres et al. Rev Bras Ortop (Sao Paulo). .

Abstract

Objective The present study aims to analyze the use of shoulder imbalance as a parameter for scoliosis screening as well as its relationship with other parameters of physical examination. Methods This study assesses a smartphone application that analyzes several parameters of the physical examination in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. Medical and non-medical examiners applied the screening tool in students in a public school and in a private sports club. After data collection, interobserver correlation was done to verify shoulder imbalance and to compare shoulder imbalance with Adam's bending test and with trunk rotation. Results Eighty-nine participants were examined, 18 of whom were women and 71 of whom were men. Two subjects were excluded from the analysis. The mean age of subjects from the public school was 11.30 years and, for those from the sports club, it was 11.92 years. The examiners had poor-to-slight interobserver concordance on shoulder asymmetry in the anterior and posterior view. No significant statistical correlation was found between shoulder asymmetry and positive Adam's forward bending test. Conclusion Our preliminary study shows that the shoulder asymmetry has a poor correlation with the Adam's forward bending test and measuring trunk rotation using a scoliometer. Therefore, the use of shoulder imbalance might not be useful for idiopathic scoliosis screening. Level of Evidence III; Diagnostic Study.

Keywords: congenital abnormalities; mass screening; public health; scoliosis; spine.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflito de interesses Os autores não têm conflito de interesses a declarar.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Shoulder asymmetry parameter in posterior view.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Shoulder asymmetry parameter in anterior view.
Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Parâmetro de assimetria de ombros em incidência posterior.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Parâmetro de assimetria de ombros em incidência anterior.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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