Abstract
Purpose
Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis occurs far more often in girls than in boys, and its initiation and progression normally takes place around the adolescent growth spurt. Despite extensive research into the topic, no solid explanation for both well-known phenomena has been offered. The sagittal profile of the growing spine has been demonstrated previously to play an important role in the spine’s rotational stiffness. Changes in this sagittal alignment around the growth spurt can be inferred to play an important role in the spine’s propensity to develop a rotatory deformity, i.e. scoliosis. The aim of this study was to quantify sagittal spino-pelvic alignment and orientation in space of each individual vertebra in normal boys and girls in the beginning, at the peak and at the end of pubertal growth.
Methods
Standardized lateral radiographs of the spine of boys (n = 57) and girls (n = 99) between the age of seven and eighteen who underwent screening for scoliosis, but had a normal spine were enrolled in this study. Children with spino-pelvic pathology at initial screening or during follow-up were excluded. According to Dimeglio’s data, subjects were classified into three groups: before, at and after the peak growth spurt. Seven regional sagittal spino-pelvic parameters, as well as the inclination angles of each individual vertebra between C7 and L5 compared to the gravity line, were measured semi-automatically using in-house developed software.
Results
In all subjects, the posteriorly tilted segment was longer, vertebrae T1–T8 were more posteriorly inclined and thoracic kyphosis, pelvic incidence and pelvic tilt were lower before as well as during the peak of the growth spurt, when compared to after the growth spurt (P ≤ 0.023). Furthermore, in girls, thoracic kyphosis was smaller (P = 0.023), the posteriorly inclined segment was longer (P < 0.001) and T1 as well as levels T3–T11 were more posteriorly inclined (P < 0.05) compared to boys at all stages of development. At the peak of the growth spurt, girls had more posterior inclination of upper thoracic vertebrae and lower values for thoracic kyphosis than boys (P = 0.005).
Conclusions
These results imply that the spines of girls during the growth spurt are more posteriorly inclined, and thus rotationally less stable, compared to boys at the same stage of development, as well as compared to girls after the growth spurt. This may explain why initiation and progression of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis are more prevalent in girls around puberty.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Altaf F, Gibson A, Dannawi Z, Noordeen H (2013) Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. BMJ 346:f2508. doi:10.1136/bmj.f2508
Castelein RM, van Dieen JH, Smit TH (2005) The role of dorsal shear forces in the pathogenesis of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis–a hypothesis. Med Hypotheses 65:501–508. doi:10.1016/j.mehy.2005.03.025
Cil A, Yazici M, Uzumcugil A, Kandemir U, Alanay A, Alanay Y, Acaroglu RE, Surat A (2005) The evolution of sagittal segmental alignment of the spine during childhood. Spine (Phila Pa 1976) 30:93–100
Clement JL, Geoffray A, Yagoubi F, Chau E, Solla F, Oborocianu I, Rampal V (2013) Relationship between thoracic hypokyphosis, lumbar lordosis and sagittal pelvic parameters in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. Eur Spine J 22:2414–2420. doi:10.1007/s00586-013-2852-z
Dickson RA, Lawton JO, Archer IA, Butt WP (1984) The pathogenesis of idiopathic scoliosis. Biplanar spinal asymmetry. J Bone Joint Surg Br 66:8–15
Dickson RA, Deacon P (1987) Spinal growth. J Bone Joint Surg Br 69:690–692
Dickson RA (1988) The aetiology of spinal deformities. Lancet 1:1151–1155
Dimeglio A (2001) Growth in pediatric orthopaedics. J Pediatr Orthop 21:549–555
Dimeglio A (2006) Chaper 2: growth in pediatric orthopaedics. In: Morrissy RT, Weinstein SL (eds) Lovell and Winter’s pediatric orthopaedics. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Philadelphia, pp 35–65
Dolphens M, Cagnie B, Coorevits P, Vleeming A, Palmans T, Danneels L (2013) Posture class prediction of pre-peak height velocity subjects according to gross body segment orientations using linear discriminant analysis. Eur Spine J 23:530–535. doi:10.1007/s00586-013-3058-0
Dolphens M, Cagnie B, Vleeming A, Vanderstraeten G, Danneels L (2013) Gender differences in sagittal standing alignment before pubertal peak growth: the importance of subclassification and implications for spinopelvic loading. J Anat 223:629–640. doi:10.1111/joa.12119
Dolphens M, Cagnie B, Coorevits P, Vleeming A, Vanderstraeten G, Danneels L (2014) Classification system of the sagittal standing alignment in young adolescent girls. Eur Spine J 23:216–225. doi:10.1007/s00586-013-2952-9
Grivas TB, Dangas S, Samelis P, Maziotou C, Kandris K (2002) Lateral spinal profile in school-screening referrals with and without late onset idiopathic scoliosis 10 degrees-20 degrees. Stud Health Technol Inform 91:25–31
Homminga J, Lehr AM, Meijer GJ, Janssen MM, Schlosser TP, Verkerke GJ, Castelein RM (2013) Posteriorly directed shear loads and disc degeneration affect the torsional stiffness of spinal motion segments: a biomechanical modelling study. Spine (Phila Pa 1976) 38:E1313–E1319. doi:10.1097/BRS.0b013e3182a0d5fa
Janssen MM, Drevelle X, Humbert L, Skalli W, Castelein RM (2009) Differences in male and female spino-pelvic alignment in asymptomatic young adults: a three-dimensional analysis using upright low-dose digital biplanar X-rays. Spine (Phila Pa 1976) 34:E826–E832. doi:10.1097/BRS.0b013e3181a9fd85
Janssen MM, Kouwenhoven JW, Castelein RM (2010) The role of posteriorly directed shear loads acting on a pre-rotated growing spine: a hypothesis on the pathogenesis of idiopathic scoliosis. Stud Health Technol Inform 158:112–117
Janssen MM, Vincken KL, Kemp B, Obradov M, de Kleuver M, Viergever MA, Castelein RM, Bartels LW (2010) Pre-existent vertebral rotation in the human spine is influenced by body position. Eur Spine J 19:1728–1734. doi:10.1007/s00586-010-1400-3
Janssen MM, Vincken KL, van Raak SM, Vrtovec T, Kemp B, Viergever MA, Bartels LW, Castelein RM (2013) Sagittal spinal profile and spinopelvic balance in parents of scoliotic children. Spine J 13:1789–1800. doi:10.1016/j.spinee.2013.05.030
Keller TS, Colloca CJ, Harrison DE, Harrison DD, Janik TJ (2005) Influence of spine morphology on intervertebral disc loads and stresses in asymptomatic adults: implications for the ideal spine. Spine J 5:297–309. doi:10.1016/j.spinee.2004.10.050
Kobayashi T, Atsuta Y, Matsuno T, Takeda N (2004) A longitudinal study of congruent sagittal spinal alignment in an adult cohort. Spine (Phila Pa 1976) 29:671–676
Korovessis PG, Stamatakis MV, Baikousis AG (1998) Reciprocal angulation of vertebral bodies in the sagittal plane in an asymptomatic Greek population. Spine (Phila Pa 1976) 23:700–705
Kouwenhoven JW, Smit TH, van der Veen AJ, Kingma I, van Dieën JH, Castelein RM (2007) Effects of dorsal versus ventral shear loads on the rotational stability of the thoracic spine: a biomechanical porcine and human cadaveric study. Spine (Phila Pa 1976) 32:2545–2550
Legaye J, Duval-Beaupere G, Hecquet J, Marty C (1998) Pelvic incidence: a fundamental pelvic parameter for three-dimensional regulation of spinal sagittal curves. Eur Spine J 7:99–103
Lonner BS, Auerbach JD, Sponseller P, Rajadhyaksha AD, Newton PO (2010) Variations in pelvic and other sagittal spinal parameters as a function of race in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. Spine (Phila Pa 1976) 35:E374–E377. doi:10.1097/BRS.0b013e3181bb4f96
Lowe TG (1999) Scheuermann’s disease. Orthop Clin North Am 30:475–487
Mac-Thiong JM, Berthonnaud E, Dimar JR, Betz RR, Labelle H (2004) Sagittal alignment of the spine and pelvis during growth. Spine (Phila Pa 1976) 29:1642
Mac-Thiong JM, Labelle H, Berthonnaud E, Betz RR, Roussouly P (2007) Sagittal spinopelvic balance in normal children and adolescents. Eur Spine J 16:227–234
Mac-Thiong JM, Labelle H, Roussouly P (2011) Pediatric sagittal alignment. Eur Spine J 20(Suppl 5):586–590. doi:10.1007/s00586-011-1925-0
Mangione P, Gomez D, Sénégas J (1997) Study of the course of the incidence angle during growth. Eur Spine J 6:163–167
Marty C, Boisaubert B, Descamps H, Montigny JP, Hecquet J, Legaye J, Duval-Beaupere G (2002) The sagittal anatomy of the sacrum among young adults, infants, and spondylolisthesis patients. Eur Spine J 11:119–125
Mendoza-Lattes S, Ries Z, Gao Y, Weinstein SL (2010) Natural history of spinopelvic alignment differs from symptomatic deformity of the spine. Spine (Phila Pa 1976) 35:E792–E798. doi:10.1097/BRS.0b013e3181d35ca9
Poussa MS, Heliövaara MM, Seitsamo JT, Könönen MH, Hurmerinta KA, Nissinen MJ (2005) Development of spinal posture in a cohort of children from the age of 11 to 22 years. Eur Spine J 14:738–742
Risser JC (1958) The Iliac apophysis; an invaluable sign in the management of scoliosis. Clin Orthop 11:111–119
Roaf R (1966) The basic anatomy of scoliosis. J Bone Joint Surg Br 48:789–792
Sanders JO, Browne RH, Cooney TE, Finegold DN, McConnell SJ, Margraf SA (2006) Correlates of the peak height velocity in girls with idiopathic scoliosis. Spine (Phila Pa 1976) 31:2289–2295. doi:10.1097/01.brs.0000236844.41595.26
Scheuermann H (1921) Kyphosis dorsalis juvenilis. Z Orthop Chir 41:305
Schlosser TP, Shah SA, Reichard SJ, Rogers K, Vincken KL, Castelein RM (2014) Differences in early sagittal plane alignment between thoracic and lumbar adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. Spine J 14:282–290
Somerville EW (1952) Rotational lordosis; the development of single curve. J Bone Joint Surg Br 34-B:421–427
Tanner JM, Whitehouse RH, Takaishi M (1966) Standards from birth to maturity for height, weight, height velocity, and weight velocity: British children, 1965-I. Arch Dis Child 41:454–471
Voutsinas SA, MacEwen GD (1986) Sagittal profiles of the spine. Clin Orthop Relat Res 210:235–242
Willner S, Johnson B (1983) Thoracic kyphosis and lumbar lordosis during the growth period in children. Acta Paediatr Scand 72:873–878
Acknowledgments
The authors would like to thank Ali Siddiqui for his efforts in the prospective data collection. This study was supported by the Alexandre Suerman MD/PhD program and a Medtronic research grant.
Conflict of interest
Schlösser: Alexandre Suerman MD/PhD Programme. Castelein: Medtronic unrestricted research grant, Medtronic Speakers Bureau. Shah: Setting Scoliosis Straight Foundation, DePuy Synthes Spine, Globus Medical, Scoliosis Research Society. Vincken: no conflicts. Rogers: no conflicts.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Schlösser, T.P.C., Vincken, K.L., Rogers, K. et al. Natural sagittal spino-pelvic alignment in boys and girls before, at and after the adolescent growth spurt. Eur Spine J 24, 1158–1167 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00586-014-3536-z
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00586-014-3536-z