Pelvic, trunk and upper limb biomechanics during walking in individuals with spinal deformities: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND

Spinal deformities represent a major public health concern, characterized by abnormal curvature and alignment of the spine. We aimed to investigate the alterations in pelvic, trunk, and upper limb biomechanics during walking in individuals with spinal deformities compared to healthy controls.

METHODS

We searched four databases including PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus and Embase from their inception through 2nd january 2025. Two authors screened studies and separately extracted data from included studies. The Newcastle-Ottawa Scale was applied to assess quality of included studies. GRADE was employed to assess the overall quality of the evidence in the meta-analysis. Subgroup and sensitivity analyses were performed to address potential heterogeneity. Mean differences and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated with random effects model in RevMan version 5.4.

RESULTS

Seventeen studies with a total of 893 participants were included in the systematic review. In scoliosis, meta-analysis showed strong evidence of increased thorax-pelvis sagittal ROM, strong evidence of non-significant increase in SVA, moderate evidence of increased pelvic frontal ROM, sagittal thoracic curve ROM, CVA, and moderate evidence of non-significant change in 3-dimensional thorax movement, sagittal lumbar ROM, thorax-pelvis frontal and transverse ROM compared to controls during walking. The meta-analysis for other variables related to scoliosis indicated moderate evidence of non-significant changes. Meta-analysis showed moderate evidence of increased sagittal pelvic ROM in sagittal trunk malalignment, and moderate evidence of non-significant increase in pelvic ROM in adult spinal deformities compared to controls during walking.

CONCLUSION

This review highlights the complexity of pelvic, trunk and upper limb biomechanics in individuals with spinal deformities. Understanding these alterations is essential for creating targeted interventions and improving clinical outcomes.

TRIAL REGISTRATION: The protocol was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42024602489).