The margin of stability is bigger in girls with Lenke I adolescent idiopathic scoliosis: a case-control study
File(s)
Published version
Author(s)
Watson, Fraje
Loureiro, Rui V
Leong, Julian JH
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Background
The Margin of Stability is used to measure stability in adults with pathologic gait including spinal deformity. The aim was to compare anterior-posterior and mediolateral Margin of Stability in girls with Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis to typically-developing girls, and to test the effect of speed and Cobb angle on the Margin of Stability.
Methods
Eight girls with Lenke 1 Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis (Cobb: 53.9±15.2°) were recruited from the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital between July 2021 and August 2022, and seven propensity-matched typically-developing girls were recruited. Participants walked at three speeds on an instrumented treadmill wearing a full-body plug-in-gait marker set. Mean Margin of Stability at heel strike during 30-seconds of walking was calculated. The Margin of Stability was compared between girls with Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis and controls using a Two-way ANOVA with paired analysis and was correlated to Cobb angle in girls with Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis using Pearson’s r2.
Findings
There was weak evidence for a Group-Speed interaction between for anterior-posterior Margin of Stability at 1.2 m/s. It was higher in Cases than at 1.2 m/s compared to Controls (left: p = 0.05; right: p = 0.06). Anterior-posterior Margin of Stability was not significantly correlated with Cobb angle. Mediolateral Margin of Stability did not differ between Group or Group-Speed interaction but was negatively correlated with increasing Cobb angle (left: p = 0.002; right: p = 0.04).
Interpretation
Girls with moderate-severe Lenke I Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis were more anterior-posteriorly stable than Controls at higher speeds. Gait challenges may require compensatory mechanisms for perceived instability caused by their spinal deformity.
The Margin of Stability is used to measure stability in adults with pathologic gait including spinal deformity. The aim was to compare anterior-posterior and mediolateral Margin of Stability in girls with Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis to typically-developing girls, and to test the effect of speed and Cobb angle on the Margin of Stability.
Methods
Eight girls with Lenke 1 Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis (Cobb: 53.9±15.2°) were recruited from the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital between July 2021 and August 2022, and seven propensity-matched typically-developing girls were recruited. Participants walked at three speeds on an instrumented treadmill wearing a full-body plug-in-gait marker set. Mean Margin of Stability at heel strike during 30-seconds of walking was calculated. The Margin of Stability was compared between girls with Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis and controls using a Two-way ANOVA with paired analysis and was correlated to Cobb angle in girls with Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis using Pearson’s r2.
Findings
There was weak evidence for a Group-Speed interaction between for anterior-posterior Margin of Stability at 1.2 m/s. It was higher in Cases than at 1.2 m/s compared to Controls (left: p = 0.05; right: p = 0.06). Anterior-posterior Margin of Stability was not significantly correlated with Cobb angle. Mediolateral Margin of Stability did not differ between Group or Group-Speed interaction but was negatively correlated with increasing Cobb angle (left: p = 0.002; right: p = 0.04).
Interpretation
Girls with moderate-severe Lenke I Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis were more anterior-posteriorly stable than Controls at higher speeds. Gait challenges may require compensatory mechanisms for perceived instability caused by their spinal deformity.
Date Issued
2025-12-01
Date Acceptance
2025-09-23
Citation
Clinical Biomechanics, 2025, 130
ISSN
0268-0033
Publisher
Elsevier
Journal / Book Title
Clinical Biomechanics
Volume
130
Copyright Statement
© 2025 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/).
License URL
Identifier
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/41027302
PII: S0268-0033(25)00247-5
Subjects
Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis
Balance
Case-control
Dynamic stability
Margin of stability
Motion capture
Publication Status
Published
Coverage Spatial
England
Article Number
106674
Date Publish Online
2025-09-02