Majallah-i Dānishgāh-i ̒Ulūm-i Pizishkī-i Bābul (Jul 2004)
The effect of sex and obesity on the lumbar lordosis
Abstract
Background and Objective: The curves of vertebral column have an important role to shock absorption and stability of the spine. The goal of this study was to evaluate the correlation between total and segmental lumbar lordosis with sex and obesity. Methods: One hundred volunteers (54 males and 46 females) aged between 20-70 years and without a history of low back pain were selected. A standing lateral radiograph of the lumbar spine was taken for each volunteer. Then by using Cobb methods, the total and segmental lumbar lordosis was measured from radiographic film. The age, sex, height and weight of each participant were recorded and also BMI for each participant were calculated. Data were statistically analyzed and the difference between points were considered significant at P<0.05. Findings: The mean total lumbar lordosis for women was 57° and for men were 52.5° and the segmental lordosis for the two groups, women versus men was as follows: L1-L2: 5° vs. 4° L2-L3: 9° vs. 8° L3-L4: 10.5° vs. 9° L4-L5: 15° vs. 13° L5-S1: 19.5° vs. 22°. Women being overweight had significantly greater total lumbar lordosis and segmental lordosis at L1-L2 and L2-L3. Conclusion: In comparison to men, women had significantly greater total lumbar lordosis and segmental lordosis at L3-L4. The overweight among female influence on amount of total lumbar lordosis and segmental lordosis at L1-L2 and L2-L3.
