Posture Outcomes for Children Suffering from Obstetrical Injuries

This study was conducted at the lab of geometrical analysis of spine, Faculty of Physical Therapy, Cairo University, Egypt in 2006 to evaluate the geometrical analysis of spine of children suffering from brachial plexus injury at birth specially those of upper trunk lesion (Erb’s type) and compare results with those of normal children to identify the differences between the two groups. Fifteen Erb’s palsied children and fifteen normal children participated in this study. All children ranged in age from three to six years. Formetric (rastersterography) instrument was used for assessing the back geometry of both groups. The data of Erb’s palsied children was compared with that of normal group through un-paired t-test with p-value at 0.05. The results of this study showed significant differences in the measured parameters including lateral deviation (rms), lateral deviation (max), kyphotic angle ICT-ITL (max) and kyphotic angle VP-T12 between the two groups. On the other hand, there was no significant difference when comparing kyphotic angle VP-ITL between both groups. From the obtained results, it can be concluded that, this study predicts the possible spinal deviations resulting from obstetrical brachial plexus injury.