Abstract

Objective: To evaluate how to influence static lumbar lordosis by different heel heights in normal adults and patients with spondylolisthesis.

Method: The lumbolumbar angles, lumbosacral angles and slip angles were examined while standing on barefoot, on heel support with 5 cm heel, and with 10 cm heel in 14 normal adults and 10 patients with first grade of spondylolisthesis. Standing lumbar spine lateral view was performed by one half hour adaptation with corresponding shoe types.

Result: The lumbolumbar angles (angles between upper margin of 2nd lumbar body and low margin of 5th lumbar body) and the lumbosacral angles (between upper margin of 2nd lumbar body and low margin of 1st sacral body) in normal are 36.8⁑6.5^o, 50.1⁑9.5^o on barefoot, 36.0⁑7.3^o, 49.6⁑7.4^o on heel support with 5 cm heel, and 36.1⁑7.6^o, 49.7⁑8.3^o with 10 cm heel. Lumbolumbar angles and lumbosacral angles in 10 patients with spondylolisthesis 38.8⁑8.3°on barefoot, 47.2⁑10.4^o on heel support with 5 cm heel, 38.3⁑7.0^o, 47.7⁑9.2^o with 10 cm heel. The slip angles in 10 patients with spondylolisthesis are 29.8⁑1.2^o on barefoot, 30.2⁑1.8^o on heel support with 5 cm heel, and with 10 cm heel.

Conclusion: The changes of heel height did not significantly influence the lumbar lordosis in normal adults and patients with spondylolisthesis. There were no significant differences in average slip angle according to heel height in patients with spondylolisthesis were found.

• Keywords: Slip angles, Heel height, Lumbar lordosis, Slip angles, Spondylolisthesis