Postural deficiency in children with spinal stenosis

Introduction . Stenosis of the spinal canal can be accompanied by abnormalities of gait and body balance. At the same time, changes occurring in the postural control in children with spinal stenosis remain unexplored. Aim . To study postural stability in children with spinal stenosis and assess the imbalance of the body depending on the level of stenosis localization. Material and methods . This study investigated 14 patients, aged 10–17 years, with stenosis of the spinal canal. The first group consisted of seven patients with spinal stenosis due to congenital deformity of the thoracic spine with spinal cord compression at the stenosis level. The second group consisted of seven patients with spondylolisthesis of the L5 vertebra body of grades 3–4, accompanied with spinal cord root compression. The control group consisted of seven healthy children of the same age. We used stabilometry, and statistical study included correlation-regression analysis. Results . A significant deviation of the stabilometric parameters was noted only in the first group of patients (p < 0.05). In the same group, a strong correlation was found between the parameters of statokinesiogram: area S, length L, amplitude A, and mean power level of the spectrum of f 60%, which were much higher than those of healthy children, which may indicate a pathologically high synchronization of the vertical balance control system of the body. Other changes were revealed, such as a strong relationship between L/S and A at normal stabilometric parameters and a moderate force between L/A and f 60%, indicating postural deficiency in the group of patients with stenosis at the level of the lumbosacral spine. Correlation-regression analysis for assessing the postural balance in both groups of patients showed a correlation between parameters L, S, A, and f 60%, which were significantly higher than those in healthy children and most pronounced in the thoracic localization of stenosis. Conclusion . The system of maintaining vertical balance of the body in children with stenosis of the spinal canal at the level of the thoracic spine has a more pronounced deficiency than that in patients with stenosis of the canal at the lumbosacral level. To reveal hidden violations of the postural balance, the relationship between length, area, amplitude, and mean power of the statokinesiogram must be evaluated.