Objective

Camptocormia is a postural disease characterized by the trunk’s antero-flexion during the walking gait.

A brace to correct the posture is usually proposed. The evaluation of its effect through static measures has proved to be insufficient. The brace effectiveness was never evaluated on the kinematics point of view.

According to that, the purpose of this study was to evaluate cinematically the evolution of the cervical arrow during the walking gait in patients with camptocormia.

Patients and methods

Five camptocormia patients were selected.

Three kinematics markers were placed on the vertebral processes of C7, L3 and S1 in order to measure the evolution of C7-SAR in static and dynamic exercises during the walking gait with and without brace.

It was asked to the patients to standing during 30 seconds and then walk during 10 min in a 20 meters’ circular path and finally to stand again during 30 seconds. A 3D video analysis system OptiTrack was used. That allowed to average the antero-flexion of the trunk during 3 meters of each tour. The patients started without brace in order to increase the patients’ fatigue and then dressed with the brace.

Results

It was observed postural collapse during the walking gait when the brace was not used. Conversely, using the brace, that postural collapse, typical in camptocormia patients, was significantly (beginning w/o brace 215 ± 46 mm; beginning with brace 133 ± 46 mm; end w/o brace 255 ± 61 mm and end with brace 143 ± 50; P < 0.05; P < 0.05) reduced.

Discussion/Conclusion

The brace permitted a postural redress effect in camptocormia patients. Additionally, the brace prevents the typical postural collapse, usually observed in camptocormia patients, induced by the walking gait. Thereby, the brace allowed the posture correction during the walking gait.