Development and aging related changes in the rangesof flexion and extension of the thoracic and lumbar regions
Harumi MORISHITA, Satoko TAKAGI and Hatsue OHNO
1. The effects of development and aging on the range of flexion and extension in the thoracicand lumbar regions were investigated on 317 subjects (121 male and 196 female) ranging in age from0 to 75.
2. Trunk flexion and extension movements in the standing position (sitting for infants) wererecorded on video from the side.
3. Standing flexion and extension figures were printed out for each subjects and referencemarks were placed along the center of the median sagittal plane to classify and measure theflexibility of each segment of the trunk. These were from the top : (A) tragus, (B) sternal endlevel, (C) costal arch level, (D) subcostal line and (E) greater trochanter.
4. Flexion: The flexion angle was greatest at point E while the flexion pattern was predomi-nantly, type D with point D farthest away from the floor. Degree of flexion increases with ageduring development, until the twenties with a greater percentage of type C appearing duringpuberty. In the middle and the higher age groups aging had little negative effect, while subjectivehabits of physical exercise had a positive influence.
5. Extension pattern: Type A with a high head position was noted in the majority of the middleand the higher age groups and in early childhood. Type B increased at the age of 10-11 with theappearance of chest deflection showing B and C as the highest points. Extension angle increasedduring development and decreased with age in the middle and higher age groups. The predominantsite of extension shifted from cranial to caudal with age and the diminished extension was increas-ingly compensated by extension of the knee and the ankle joints.
6. In the middle and the higher age group, routine physical exercise affects flexion of the spine,but not extension indicating that factors involved in age-related changes act independently.
(Rep. Res. Cent. Phys. Ed. 25: 97-110, 1997)
御茶の水女子大学 Faculty of Letters and Education, Ochanomizu University
