Affiliations: [a] Centre for Movement, Occupational and Rehabilitation Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Gipsy Lane, Headington, Oxford, OX3 0BP, UK | [b] Physiotherapy Research Unit, Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, OX3 7LD, UK | [c] Nuffield Department of Orthopaedic, Rheumatoid and Musculoskeletal Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7LD, UK | [d] Faculty of Health Sciences, Staffordshire University, Stoke-on-Trent, ST4 2DE, UK
Correspondence:
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Corresponding author: Erin Hannink, Centre for Movement, Occupational and Rehabilitation Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Gipsy Lane, Headington, Oxford, OX3 0BP, UK. Tel.: +44 1865 483272; E-mail: [email protected].
Note: [1] Joint senior authorship.
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Abnormal sagittal spinal curvature is associated with pain, decreased mobility, respiratory problems and increased mortality. Time-of-flight technology of the Microsoft Kinect sensor can reconstruct a three-dimensional image of the back quickly and inexpensively. OBJECTIVE: To estimate the extent of the reproducibility of sagittal spine curvature measurement using the Microsoft Kinect sensor. METHODS: Simultaneous measurement of thoracic and lumbar spine using the Microsoft Kinect sensor in 37 participants. Two investigators gave standardised instructions and each captured 3 images. Thoracic kyphosis and lumbar lordosis angle indexes were calculated using maximum height divided by the length. RESULTS: Adult participants (mean age in years (SD) = 51.7 (20.6); 57% female; BMI in kg/m2 (SD) = 24.9 (3.3)) kyphosis and lordosis indexes showed high intra-rater and inter-rater ICC values (0.960–0.973). The means of the first images from both raters had significantly larger kyphosis indexes compared to the second and third images, yet no difference between means in lordosis data. CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate that the Microsoft Kinect sensor has a reproducible method with high intra-rater and inter-rater reliability. The difference between the means over repeated measures suggest the second image capture is more consistent. It is a reproducible and quick method in clinical and research settings.
