One-year longitudinal study on spinal kyphosis and respiratory function in community-dwelling older Japanese adults who require long-term care or support.
Minami Sato, Akihiro Yakabi, Yohei Sawaya and 4 others
PMID 33935353WHAT IT FOUND
Spinal kyphosis worsened significantly over one year in older adults requiring long-term care, but respiratory function and muscle mass remained stable.
This suggests postural changes can progress without immediate loss of breathing capacity in this group.
Key findings
01The spinal kyphosis index increased significantly from 10.5 to 14.6 over one year.
02No significant differences were detected in respiratory function or muscle strength measures over the one-year period.
03No significant differences were detected in changes in body composition, including limb and trunk muscle mass, from baseline to one year.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPs
Read the rest of this summary
You get three full summaries a month, free, and we do not ask for a card. Search, the TL;DRs and your library stay unlimited either way.
What it does not show
The study did not consider respiratory disease or medical history, which could significantly influence respiratory function outcomes. Measurements were taken at a single facility, and age and care level were not standardized across participants. The study only evaluated thoracic spine kyphosis, missing potential compensatory cervical or lumbar changes or abdominal breathing. Familiarity with repeated measurements and individual differences in following instructions may have influenced spirometry results. The sample size was relatively small (n=57) and the follow-up period was only one year, which may be insufficient to detect slower declines in respiratory function.
Declared interests
The authors have no conflict of interests to declare as regards this research.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that spinal kyphosis is harmless to respiratory health because it did not decline in this study. The lack of respiratory change over one year in a small, specific cohort of community-dwelling older adults in rehab does not rule out long-term negative effects or effects in those with pre-existing respiratory conditions, which were not controlled for.