This study on 3D postural alignment reports the geometry of the spine, pelvis and lower limbs, of the young asymptomatic adult. The less variable angle is the one of the line OD-HA with the vertical, highlighting the vertical alignment of the head above the pelvis. This study provides a basis for future comparisons when investigating aging populations.

CAM-HA and OD-HA appeared quasi-invariant even in asymptomatic elderly. Some subjects exhibited alteration of spine alignment, compensated at the pelvis and cervical regions.

The aim of this study was to propose a novel method for reconstructing the external body envelope from the low dose biplanar X-rays of a person. The 3D body envelope was obtained by deforming a template to match the surface profiles in two X-rays images in three successive steps: global morphing to adopt the position of a person and scale the template׳s body segments, followed by a gross deformation and a fine deformation using two sets of pre-defined control points. To evaluate the method, a biplanar X-ray acquisition was obtained from head to foot for 12 volunteers in a standing posture. Up to 172 radio-opaque skin markers were attached to the body surface and used as reference positions. Each envelope was reconstructed three times by three operators. Results showed a bias lower than 7mm and a confidence interval (95%) of reproducibility lower than 6mm for all body parts, comparable to other existing methods matching a template onto stereographic photographs. The proposed method offers the possibility of reconstructing body shape in addition to the skeleton using a low dose biplanar X-rays system.

Spinopelvic muscles' values for a reference population have been reported. A new model predicting the muscles' volumes from a reduced set of MRI slices is proposed. While this model still needs to be validated on other populations, the current study appears promising for clinical use to determine, quantitatively, the muscular degradation.

Shoulder motions consist of a composite movement of three joints and one pseudo-joint, which together dictate the humerothoracic motion. The purpose of this work was to quantify the location of the centre of rotation (CoR) of the shoulder complex as a whole. Dynamic motion of 12 participants was recorded using optical motion tracking during coronal, scapular and sagittal plane elevation. The instantaneous CoR was found for each angle of elevation using helical axes projected onto the three planes of motion. The location of an average CoR for each plane was evaluated using digitised and anthropometric measures for normalisation. When conducting motion in the coronal, scapular, and sagittal planes, respectively, the coefficients for locating the CoRs of the shoulder complex are −61%, −61%, and −65% of the anterior–posterior dimension – the vector between the midpoint of the incisura jugularis and the xiphoid process and the midpoint of the seventh cervical vertebra and the eighth thoracic vertebra; 0%, −1%, and −2% of the superior–inferior dimension – the vector between the midpoint of the acromioclavicular joints and the midpoint of the anterior superior iliac spines; and 57%, 57%, and 78% of the medial–lateral dimension −0.129 times the height of the participant. Knowing the location of the CoR of the shoulder complex as a whole enables improved participant positioning for evaluation and rehabilitation activities that involve movement of the hand with a fixed radius, such as those that employ isokinetic dynamometers.

Body segment parameters (BSP) for each body׳s segment are needed for biomechanical analysis. To provide population-specific BSP, precise estimation of body׳s segments volume and density are needed. Widely used uniform densities, provided by cadavers׳ studies, did not consider the air present in the lungs when determining the thorax density. The purpose of this study was to propose a new uniform thorax density representative of the living population from 3D external body shape modeling. Bi-planar X-ray radiographies were acquired on 58 participants allowing 3D reconstructions of the spine, rib cage and human body shape. Three methods of computing the thorax mass were compared for 48 subjects: (1) the Dempster Uniform Density Method, currently in use for BSPs calculation, using Dempster density data, (2) the Personalized Method using full-description of the thorax based on 3D reconstruction of the rib cage and spine and (3) the Improved Uniform Density Method using a uniform thorax density resulting from the Personalized Method. For 10 participants, comparison was made between the body mass obtained from a force-plate and the body mass computed with each of the three methods. The Dempster Uniform Density Method presented a mean error of 4.8% in the total body mass compared to the force-plate vs 0.2% for the Personalized Method and 0.4% for the Improved Uniform Density Method. The adjusted thorax density found from the 3D reconstruction was 0.74g/cm(3) for men and 0.73g/cm(3) for women instead of the one provided by Dempster (0.92g/cm(3)), leading to a better estimate of the thorax mass and body mass.

Objective To quantify muscle characteristics (volumes and fat infiltration) and identify their relationship to sagittal malalignment and compensatory mechanism recruitment. Methods Female adult spinal deformity patients underwent T1-weighted MRI with a 2-point Dixon protocol from the proximal tibia up to the T12 vertebra. 3D reconstructions of 17 muscles, including extensors and flexors of spine, hip and knee, were obtained. Muscle volume standardized by bone volume and percentage of fat infiltration (Pfat) were calculated. Correlations and regressions were performed. Results A total of 22 patients were included. Significant correlations were observed between sagittal alignment and muscle parameters. Fat infiltration of the hip and knee flexors and extensors correlated with larger C7-S1 SVA. Smaller spinal flexor/extensor volumes correlated with greater PI-LL mismatch (r = − 0.45 and − 0.51). Linear regression identified volume of biceps femoris as only predictor for PT (R 2 = 0.34, p = 0.005) and Pfat of gluteus minimus as only predictor for SVA (R 2 = 0.45, p = 0.001). Sagittally malaligned patients with larger PT (26.8° vs. 17.2°) had significantly smaller volume and larger Pfat of gluteus medius, gluteus minimus and biceps femoris, but similar values for gluteus maximus, the hip extensor. Conclusion This study is the first to quantify the relationship between degeneration of spino-femoral muscles and sagittal malalignment. This pathoanatomical study identifies the close relationship between gluteal, hamstring muscles and PT, SVA, which deepens our understanding of the underlying etiology that contributes to adult spinal deformity.

a arts et metiers paristech, lBm/institut de Biomecanique humaine georges Charpak, paris, France; b department of orthopedic surgery, nYu hospital for Joint diseases, new York, nY, usa; c umr_t9406, lBmC laboratoire de Biomécanique et mécanique des Chocs, iFsttar, Bron, France