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. 2024 Dec 27;15(1):16.
doi: 10.3390/life15010016.

Correlation Between Spinopelvic Parameters, Body Mass Index, Waist Circumference, and Chronic Non-Specific Low Back Pain

Daphne Butzen  1 , Yannick Smolders  1 , Tom Stroobants  1 , Gino Verleye  2   3 , Dieter Thijs  4   5 , Erik Van de Kelft  1   4
Affiliations

Correlation Between Spinopelvic Parameters, Body Mass Index, Waist Circumference, and Chronic Non-Specific Low Back Pain

Daphne Butzen et al. Life (Basel). .

Abstract

Study design: This is an observational study.

Objectives: In general practice, it is noted that some people can deal more easily with a prominent belly than others. Recent use of spinopelvic parameters in the analysis of the spine might explain this observation. This study aimed to determine the correlation between pelvic incidence (PI), waist circumference (WC), and body mass index (BMI) in patients with non-specific chronic low back pain. We hypothesized that people with a low PI (non-pronounced lumbar lordosis) have significantly lower WC values than those with a high PI (pronounced lumbar lordosis).

Methods: Adult patients presenting to the outpatient neurosurgery clinic with non-specific chronic low back pain who had undergone full spine radiography were included. The PI, BMI, and WC were measured in all cases.

Results: We included 272 patients (male-female ratio, 1.08) with a mean age of 54 years. There was a statistically significant difference (p < 0.05) in the mean PI according to BMI group. The mean PI in our population was 57.8° (range 28.4-97.2°, SD 12.1°). A significant correlation coefficient of 0.271 (p < 0.001; 95%CI 0.157-0.377) was found between BMI and PI and 0.410 (p-value < 0.001; 95%CI 0.262-0.539).

Conclusions: We found a significant correlation between PI, BMI, and WC. This finding is the first step in confirming our hypothesis that a patient with a high PI might be able to tolerate being overweight and a high WC better than patients with a low PI, possibly because of their ability to retrovert the pelvis to a greater extent. Further research is warranted to investigate whether people with a high pelvic PI can better cope with obesity, especially those with a higher waist circumference and abdominal weight.

Keywords: body mass index; low back pain; pelvic incidence; spinal sagittal balance; waist circumference.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no affiliations with or involvement in any organization or entity with any financial interest in the subject matter or materials discussed in this manuscript.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Definition of spinopelvic parameters PI, PT, and SS.
Figure 2
Figure 2
(a) X-ray of patient with high PI; (b) X-ray of patient with low PI.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Patient flow.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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