Comprehensive Associations Between Spinal-Pelvic Alignment and Muscle Shortening in Healthy Young Men: An Analysis of Individual and Interactive Effects in the Sagittal Plane Using SHapley Additive exPlanation.

Objectives

To comprehensively examine the association between spinopelvic alignment and muscle shortening in healthy young men, focusing on the individual and interactive effects of thoracic kyphosis, lumbar lordosis, and anterior pelvic tilt using SHapley Additive exPlanation (SHAP) analysis.

Methods

Forty-one healthy young adult men participated in this cross-sectional study. Thoracic kyphosis, lumbar lordosis, and anterior pelvic tilt were measured using a flexible curve ruler and inclinometer. Muscle length indices for six muscles (iliopsoas, rectus femoris, gluteus maximus, hamstrings, back extensors, and abdominals) were assessed via standardized physical examinations and image analysis. A machine learning model was developed, and SHAP analysis applied to determine individual and interactive contributions of spinopelvic angles to each muscle length index.

Results

SHAP analysis showed that hip-related muscle shortening (iliopsoas, rectus femoris, hamstrings, gluteus maximus) was influenced by both individual alignments and interactions, especially between thoracic kyphosis and lumbar lordosis. Lumbar lordosis was most associated with iliopsoas shortening (SHAP = -0.09), while anterior pelvic tilt was linked to hamstring shortening (SHAP = -0.30). Thoracic kyphosis was the key factor for rectus femoris shortening (SHAP = -0.05). Interactive effects exceeded individual contributions for the rectus femoris, gluteus maximus, and hamstrings. In contrast, spinal alignment had minimal influence on the back extensors and abdominals.

Conclusions

Both individual and intersegmental spinal alignments are associated with muscle shortening, particularly in hip-related muscles. The interaction between thoracic kyphosis and lumbar lordosis plays a pivotal role. These findings underscore the importance of evaluating segmental spinal interactions when assessing muscle flexibility and posture.