Association between Menopause Status, With Gait Speed and Sagittal Curvature of Spine in Middle-Aged Females: A Protocol Study

Document Type : Original Articles

Authors
Faezeh Fatehi 1
Azam Zafarbakhsh 2
Hoda Niknam 3
Fateme Bokaee 4
Najimeh Tarkesh-Isfahani 5
Ibrahim Abdollahpour 6
Motahar Heidari-Beni 7
Wendy B. Katzman 8
Amy Gladin 9
Tayebeh Roghani 4
1 MSc Student, Department of Physical Therapy, School of Rehabilitation Sciences, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
2 Assistant Professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
3 Assistant Professor, Department of Physical Therapy, School of Rehabilitation Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
4 Assistant Professor, Department of Physical Therapy, School of Rehabilitation Sciences, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
5 Instructor, Research Advisory Center, Islamic Azad University, Isfahan (Khorasgan) Branch, Isfahan, Iran
6 Assistant Professor, Research Institute for Primary Prevention of Non-Communicable Diseases, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
7 Assistant Professor, Child Growth and Development Research Center, Research Institute for Primary Prevention of Non-Communicable Disease, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
8 Professor, Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, USA
9 Senior Physical Therapist, Pain Medicine, San Francisco Kaiser Permanente Medical Center, San Francisco, CA, USA
10.48305/jrrs.2024.42389.1080
Abstract
Introduction: Gait velocity and spinal alignment are two pivotal determinants of physical performance in women. Although the menopausal transition is hypothesized to influence both gait kinetics and sagittal spinal alignment, existing literature reports conflicting findings. Therefore, the primary objective of the present study is to investigate the correlations between menopausal status, serum estradiol concentrations, gait velocity, and the magnitudes of thoracic kyphosis and lumbar lordosis in middle-aged women. The secondary objective is to evaluate the interplay between specific musculoskeletal variables—including bone mineral density, skeletal muscle mass, and the strength and endurance of the back extensors—and their impact on gait speed and the curvatures of thoracic kyphosis and lumbar lordosis.
Materials and Methods: This analytical cross-sectional study protocol will involve a cohort of 135 healthy middle-aged women, aged 35 to 65 years. Serum levels of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and estradiol will be quantified. Gait velocity, sagittal spinal alignment (thoracic kyphosis and lumbar lordosis), back extensor strength and endurance, and skeletal muscle mass will be assessed using the 10-meter walk test, a kyphometer, a tensile load cell device, and the InBody 270 bioelectrical impedance analysis system, respectively. These parameters will be compared between the two study groups. To analyze the concurrent influence of the independent variables on gait velocity, thoracic kyphosis, and lumbar lordosis, multiple linear regression models will be employed.
Keywords
Menopause
Gait velocity
Kyphosis
Lordosis
Back extensors
Subjects
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Journal of Research in Rehabilitation Sciences
Volume 19, Issue 1
April 2023
Pages 123-129