Assessing Balance in Spine Patients: Evolution, Concept of Stability, Severity Level, and Correlation to Patient Reported Outcome Scores

The NASS Podcast

Featuring: Ram Haddas, PhD, MBA, Yigal Samocha, MD, Bassel Diebo, MD

Aging, vestibular deficits, neurologic conditions, neuromuscular disease, peripheral neuropathies, and abnormal spinal curvatures, all predispose an individual to postural instability and may alter their balance. Currently, most spinal surgeons rely on static radiographic parameters for objective alignment and balance data alongside patient-reported outcome measures. Radiographs have often been used as an indirect measure of balance; however, as our understanding of balance has evolved the importance of postural stability has become more appreciated. Postural stability encompasses a variety of factors including alignment, sensory inputs, muscle conditioning, and response to external stimuli. Although the ability to radiographically measure balance has significantly improved, the clinical measurements, implications, and prognosis of balance and sway have remained difficult to quantify.

Disclosures:

Haddas, Ram: Consulting: Medtronic (E); Grants: Alphatec (E, Outside 12-Month Requirement, Paid directly to institution/employer), Aspen Medical Products (F, Paid directly to institution/employer), Medtronic (F, Paid directly to institution/employer), SI-BONE (F, Paid directly to institution/employer), The Cervical Spine Research Society (C, Outside 12-Month Requirement, Paid directly to institution/employer).

Samocha, Yigal : Nothing to Disclose

Diebo, Bassel G.: Nothing to Disclose

Key: A: $100-$1,000; B: $1001-$10,000; C: $10,001-$25,000; D: $25,001-$50,000; E: $50,001-$100,000; F: $100,001- $500,000; G: $500,001-$1M; H: $1,000,001- $2.5M; I: $2.5M+