Assessing Thoracic and Lumbar Spinal Curvature Norm: A Systematic Review

Background: The quality and condition of the human body are of particular importance. This is because the positive and negative changes resulting from this matter could affect other conditions.  The skeletal condition of the spine is an essential part of a person's physical condition. Recognizing correct positions has always attracted the attention of sports scientists. The present study reviewed the normative data of the thoracic and lumbar curvature. Methods: We investigated the studies conducted from 1980 to 2016. We studied and used related articles that measured spinal curvatures and investigated invasive and non-invasive methods. The authors reported previous studies without any bias. Results: The obtained results indicated that spine norms are different in research reports. Thus, further investigating this subject is required for recognizing, categorizing, screening, and decreasing the prevalence of spinal deformities. Conclusion: We reviewed the studies on the prevalence of spinal abnormalities and the provision of natural alignment and the extent of injury to the area in athletes. The relevant data suggested a great variation in applying measurement methods, as well as the homogeneity between the studied communities. Therefore, comparing the present results and categorizing studies should be performed with great caution.