Comparison of spinal alignment, muscular strength, and quality of life between women with postmenopausal osteoporosis and healthy volunteers.

UNLABELLED: This study compared spinal alignment, muscular strength, and quality of life (QOL) between women with postmenopausal osteoporosis and healthy volunteers. The results indicated that lower QOL in osteoporosis patients may be associated with increased thoracic kyphosis, reduced lean muscle mass, and generalized muscle weakness.

INTRODUCTION

Increased spinal kyphosis is common in patients with osteoporosis and negatively impacts quality of life (QOL). Muscular strength is also important for QOL in patients with osteoporosis. However, spinal kyphosis and muscle weakness also occur in healthy individuals with advancing age. The purposes of this study were thus to compare spinal alignment, muscular strength, and QOL between women with postmenopausal osteoporosis and healthy volunteers.

METHODS

Participants comprised 236 female patients with postmenopausal osteoporosis (mean age, 68.7 years) and 93 healthy volunteer women (mean age, 71.0 years). Body mass index (BMI), angles of spinal kyphosis, back extensor strength, grip strength, and QOL were compared between groups.

RESULTS

BMI, back extensor strength, and grip strength were significantly higher in the volunteer group than in the osteoporosis group (p < 0.01). Both thoracic kyphosis and lumbar lordosis were significantly greater in the osteoporosis group than in the volunteer group (p < 0.01). With regard to QOL, the 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) subscale scores of role physical, bodily pain, general health, and role emotional were all significantly lower in the osteoporosis group than in the volunteer group (p < 0.05 each). SF-36 physical component summary (PCS) score was significantly lower in the osteoporosis group than in the volunteer group (p < 0.001). SF-36 PCS score correlated positively with thoracic kyphosis and negatively with BMI only in the osteoporosis group (p < 0.05 each).

CONCLUSIONS

These results indicated that lower QOL in osteoporosis patients may be associated with increased thoracic kyphosis, reduced lean muscle mass, and generalized muscle weakness.