"Evaluation of Static and Dynamic Postural Balance in Children With Thoracic Hyperkyphosis"
Condition: Hyperkyphosis
MeSH terms: Kyphosis
Study type: Observational

Summary: 
      The purpose of our study; is to investigate how balance parameters are affected in comparison
      with healthy children in children with thoracic hyperkyphosis and to examine the relationship
      of these results with muscle strength, shortness-flexibility, pain, range of motion,
      functional status, physical activity level and quality of life. The hypothesis of the study
      is that children with thoracic hyperkyphosis have impaired balance compared to their healthy
      peers. With this finding, it can be ensured that clinical evaluations and treatment
      strategies for balance in children with hyperkifosis are included in the treatment plan. 31
      children with thoracic hyperkyphosis were included in the evaluation group, and 31 children
      with normal physiological curves were included in the control group. Participants were
      evaluated once by the physical therapist.
    

Detailed description: 
      The study was included chidren with hyperkyphosis at the İstanbul University-Cerrahpaşa,
      Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation. G*Power 3.1.9.2
      program was used to calculate the sample size. Due to the absence of MCID value for the
      Biodex Balance System in the literature while sample size calculation, the average values for
      males and females are 3.83 and 3.05 based on the "Overall Stability Index" based on the
      dominant side from a similar study conducted with healthy young adults; standard deviation
      values were placed in the formula as 1.03 and 1.13 (σ). (power=80%, α=0.05, significance
      level 2-tailed, and effect size d = 0.73). A total of 62 cases were decided to be included in
      the study, with 31 individuals per group. Participants were evaluated once by the physical
      therapist. Evaluation consist of demographic information form, Biodex Balance System, visual
      analog scale, "Hand-held" dynamometer, range of motion, pektoralis minor muscle flexibility,
      triple-hop distance test, 20-m sprint test, Physical Activity Questionnaire for Children,
      Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory, functional reach test and occiput-wall distance. SPSS
      (Statistical Package for Social Sciences) 22 statistical program was used for the statistical
      analysis of the data. Normality was assessed using the Shapiro-Wilk test. The "Chi-Square
      Test" was used to compare the difference between groups for categorical variables such as
      gender, dominant side, and educational status. The statistical analysis for group comparisons
      was performed using the "Mann-Whitney U Test" for non-parametric samples. Correlation
      analysis between the data was done with "Spearmann r Test". In all tests, a significance
      level of 0.05 (5%) was used.
    

Observational model: Case-Control
Time perspective: Cross-Sectional
Sampling method: Probability Sample
Study population: 
        Children admitted to the orthopedics and Traumatology Outpatiant Clinic of Istanbul
        University, Istanbul Faculty of Medicine, and diagnosed with "thoracic Hypercyphosis" as a
        result of radiography evaluation.
      
Keywords: Kyphosis; Postural Stability; Biodex Balance System; Equilibrium