Effect of Lumbar Spine Mobility and Postural Alignment on Menstrual Pain in Young Women

Abstract

(1) Background: Studies indicate that 45 to 95% of women suffer from painful periods. Despite frequent incidence, the problem is still underestimated. Menstruation-related ailments often correlate with high absenteeism at school and work, as well as limitation of social and scientific activity. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between the size of the curvature, the mobility of the spine in the sagittal plane, and menstrual pain in young women. (2) Methods: The analysis included 224 women aged 18–26, mean of 21.56 ± 1.95, studying at the College of Medical Sciences of the University of Rzeszów. For this purpose, the measurement of the anterior–posterior curvature of the spine with a gravitational inclinometer, the Schober test and the authors’ questionnaire related to menstruation were used. (3) Results: The data analysis demonstrated a significant difference between the group with menstrual pain (MP) and the control group without pain (CG), where the angle of the lumbar sacral transition (p = 0.034), thoracolumbar transition (p = 0.044) and lumbar lordosis (p = 0.006) were statistically significantly lower in MP compared to CG. There were no significant differences in the measurement of the so-called smartphone hump and between the mobility of the lumbar spine and menstrual pain in any of the groups. (4) Conclusions: Women with menstrual pain are characterized by reduced lumbar lordosis and thoracic kyphosis, while sagittal mobility of the spine does not affect pain.

Body Posture and Low Back Pain: Differences between Folk and Ballroom Dancers

“…The median thoracic kyphosis in the FD group was 40 (37-47.8) degrees. In contrast, the BD group demonstrated a median thoracic kyphosis of 33 (29)(30)(31)(32)(33)(34)(35)(36)(37)(38) degrees. There were no other significant differences between groups in other sagittal spinal curvatures.…”

“…As smartphones are objects of daily living that are small, cost-effective, easy to use, and include an inertial motion unit composed of 3D accelerometers, gyroscopes, and digital magnetometer sensors, mobile phone-based measurements became more and more common in clinical settings and research as they are reliable and valid for non-invasive clinical measurements of mobility and joint positioning [31][32][33][34]. The sagittal spine curvature measurements were performed in a standing upright position with straight lower limbs according to the previous methodologies [35][36][37]. The assessor performed the following curvature measurements of the spine: sacral inclination, lumbar lordosis and thoracic kyphosis.…”

“…The lumbar lordosis was measured as a sum of the angles between the middle of the line between the posterior superior iliac spines and the thoracolumbar junction. The thoracic kyphosis was calculated as the sum of angles between the thoracolumbar junction and the middle of the line between the angulus superior of the scapulas [37]. This assessment has been shown in Figure 2.…”

“…are reliable and valid for non-invasive clinical measurements of mobility and joint positioning [31][32][33][34]. The sagittal spine curvature measurements were performed in a standing upright position with straight lower limbs according to the previous methodologies [35][36][37]. The assessor performed the following curvature measurements of the spine: sacral inclination, lumbar lordosis and thoracic kyphosis.…”