Normative ability of young females to control the lumbopelvic curvature during active knee extension in sitting.
Hiroshi Takasaki, Mayu Yanagisawa
PMID 32982052WHAT IT FOUND
In healthy young women, the lower back typically curves inward slightly when extending a leg while sitting.
A flat or outward-curving back during this test may signal poor spinal control, warranting further assessment for low back pain risk.
Key findings
01The normative angle of lumbopelvic sagittal alignment in asymptomatic young females was negative, indicating lumbar kyphosis rather than the flat spine previously suggested by clinical experts.
02The upper limit of the 95% confidence interval for the alignment angle was -9.40 degrees using the 2-point method and -2.73 degrees using the max method.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
Participants were recruited via convenience sampling and were all Asian females aged 18-44, mostly in their 20s. The study did not include males, older adults, or other ethnic groups, limiting generalizability. The study establishes normative values but does not link these values to low back pain incidence or outcomes.
Declared interests
No specific funding was received, and the authors declared no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume these normative values apply to males, older adults, or non-Asian populations. The study only establishes what healthy young Asian females do; it does not prove that deviations from these angles cause low back pain.