Evidence-based clinical tool for quantitative analysis of posture in children and adolescents with idiopathic scoliosis

Methods We constructed a software-based program (2-dimensional (2D) tool) to calculate 23 posture indices (PI) representing frontal and sagittal alignment of body segments selected from a literature review [1]. The standing posture of 70 participants aged 10 to 20 years old with IS (Cobb angle: 15o to 60o) was assessed on two occasions by two physiotherapists. Markers placed on several bony landmarks as well as natural reference points (e.g., eyes and ear lobes) were used to measure the PI from photographs with the 2D tool and to calculate 3-dimensional (3D) PI obtained from trunk reconstructions with a surface topography system. Frontal and sagittal Cobb angles and trunk list were also calculated on radiographs. The generalizability theory (f and standard error of measurement – SEM) and Pearson correlation coefficients (r) were used to determine reliability and concurrent validity, respectively.