Is Dynamic Spino-Pelvic Alignment During Gait Associated with Quality of Life in Patients with Degenerative Lumbar Spinal Canal Stenosis?

This study aims to investigate the relationship between dynamic alignment of the spine and pelvis during gait and quality of life (QOL) in lumbar spinal canal stenosis (LSS) patients. We evaluated QOL using the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), trunk and hip muscle strength as physical function, static spinal alignment, and dynamic spinal/pelvic alignment during gait. The relationship between the ODI score and physical function or static and dynamic alignment were examined. A total of 30 preoperative patients with LSS were participated in this study. ODI score significantly correlated with trunk extension strength (r = -0.559, p = 0.002), hip extension strength (r = -0.473, p = 0.011), maximum flexion angle of spine during gait (r = -0.551, p = 0.002) and maximum anterior tilt angle of pelvis (r = 0.528, p = 0.004). Multiple regression analysis showed that trunk extension strength (standardized β; - 0.35), maximum spinal flexion angle (standardized β; - 0.51) and hip extension strength (standardized β; - 0.40) significantly affected the ODI score, with adjusted coefficient of determination of 0.62. The results of this study showed that the LSS patients with weak hip or trunk extensor muscles, a greater angle of pelvic tilt or a less spinal flexion during gait had a lower QOL.