Correlation between osteoporotic vertebral fracture and abdominal trunk muscle strength in middle-aged and older women.

Unlabelled: We investigated the correlation between abdominal trunk muscle strength and spinal deformities in middle-aged and older women. The results indicated that abdominal trunk muscle weakness, older age, and low lumbar bone mineral density were significant risk factors associated with the presence of OVFs in the lower thoracic and lumbar spine.

Purpose: We developed an innovative exercise device for the abdominal trunk muscles that also measures muscle strength. We investigated the correlation between the strength and thoracolumbar spinal deformity in middle-aged and older women.

Methods: This study included 206 consecutive female patients who were 50 years or older and scheduled to undergo surgery for degenerative diseases of the lower extremities. Patients with a history of symptomatic osteoporotic vertebral fractures (OVFs) requiring treatments were excluded. Before surgery, patients underwent physical measurements including abdominal trunk muscle strength using our device, full-spine standing radiography, and bone mineral density measurement of the lumbar spine (L-BMD). According to radiographic findings of the radiogram, patients were divided into four groups: control group (n = 134), listhesis group (n = 29), scoliosis group (n = 19), and fracture group (n = 24). The Tukey-Kramer honestly significant difference test was used to compare all measurements among the four groups. To identify factors associated with the presence of OVFs, a multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed.

Results: The average abdominal trunk muscle strength in the fracture group was significantly lower than that of the control group. The multivariate analysis revealed that abdominal trunk muscle weakness, older age, and a low L-BMD were associated with OVF findings.

Conclusions: Abdominal trunk muscle weakness in middle-aged and older women was associated with OVF. The strength measurement can be a risk assessment of OVF.