Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34518901›Full record

ArticleOsteoporosis international : a journal established as result of cooperation between the European Foundation for Osteoporosis and the National Osteoporosis Foundation of the USA2022

Effect of postural alignment alteration with age on vertebral strength.

C Heidsieck, L Gajny, C Travert, J-Y Lazennec, W Skalli

Abstract read
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In one paragraph

Article in Osteoporosis international : a journal established as result of cooperation between the European Foundation for Osteoporosis and the National Osteoporosis Foundation of the USA, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. QCT-based geometric, densitometric, and biomechanical properties of the aging human thoracolumbar spine.Journal of bone and mineral research : the official journal of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research · 2026
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

C HeidsieckArts Et Métiers ParisTech, Institut de Biomécanique Humaine Georges Charpak, Paris, France. cecile.heidsieck@ensam.eu.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8331-0669
L GajnyArts Et Métiers ParisTech, Institut de Biomécanique Humaine Georges Charpak, Paris, France.
C TravertDepartment of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery, Pitié-Salpétrière Hospital, Assistance Publique-Hopitaux de Paris, Sorbonne University, Paris, France.
J-Y LazennecDepartment of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery, Pitié-Salpétrière Hospital, Assistance Publique-Hopitaux de Paris, Sorbonne University, Paris, France.
W SkalliArts Et Métiers ParisTech, Institut de Biomécanique Humaine Georges Charpak, Paris, France.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

EOS biplane radiographs of 117 subjects between 20 and 83 years were analyzed to compute the upper body lever arm over the L1 vertebra and its impact on vertebral strength. Postural sagittal alignment alteration was observed with age and resulted in a greater lever arm causing vertebral strength to decrease. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to analyze the impact of postural alignment changes with age on vertebral strength using finite element analysis and barycentremetry.

methodsA total of 117 subjects from 20 to 83 years were divided in three age groups: young (20 to 40 years, 62 subjects), intermediate (40 to 60 years, 26 subjects), and elderly (60 years and over, 29 subjects). EOS biplane radiographs were acquired, allowing 3D reconstruction of the spine and body envelope as well as spinal, pelvic, and sagittal alignment parameter measurements. A barycentremetry method allowed the estimation of the mass and center of mass (CoM) position of the upper body above L1, relatively to the center of the L1 vertebra (lever arm). To investigate the effect of this lever arm, vertebral strength of a generic finite element model (with constant geometry and mechanical properties for all subjects) was successively computed applying the personalized lever arm of each subject.

resultsA combination of an increase in thoracic kyphosis, cervical lordosis, and pelvic tilt with a loss of lumbar lordosis was observed between the young and the older groups. Sagittal alignment parameters indicated a more forward position as age increased. The lever arm of the CoM above L1 varied from an average of 1 mm backward for the young group, to averages of 10 and 24 mm forward, respectively, for the intermediate and elderly group. As a result, vertebral strength decreased from 2527 N for the young group to 1820 N for the elderly group.

conclusionThe global sagittal alignment modifications observed with age were consistent with the literature. Posture alteration with age reduced vertebral strength significantly in this simplified loading model. Postural alignment seems essential to be considered in the evaluation of osteoporotic patients.

Indexed as

KyphosisLordosisAdultAgedHumansLumbar VertebraePostureRadiographySpineYoung AdultBarycentremetryFinite element methodGlobal sagittal alignmentOsteoporosisVertebral strength

Identifiers

PMID34518901

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.