Assessment of Pelvic Shape by a Newly Developed Posture Analyzer in Young Women in Japan

Background: Body composition has been changing along with change in the life style environment but there have been no studies on pelvic size by objective anthropometric assessment in young Japanese women. The objective was to examine pelvic shape by measuring the angle of inclination (AOI) and the distance between right and left anterior superior (AS) iliac spines. We also investigated associations of these measurements with physical symptoms related to distortion of the pelvis in young Japanese women.
Methods: The AOI and the distance between right and left AS iliac spines in 92 female undergraduate students were measured by using a newly developed posture analyzer with a self-administered questionnaire.
Results: The mean values of AOI and distance between right and left AS iliac spines were 0.31 radian and 270.1 mm, respectively. The distance between right and left AS iliac spines showed significant positive associations with body weight and height. According to tertiles of AOI, a large percentage of the subjects with a large AOI responded positively to the item “Heights of the fingers of the right and left hands being different when the upper limbs are raised”. According to tertiles of distance between right and left AS iliac spines, a large percentage of the subjects with a large distance responded positively to the item “Unhealed past injury in lower legs” and the item “Sitting with one’s legs folded sideways”.
Conclusion: Increase in body weight and height were shown to be associated with pelvic shape. It has also shown that change in pelvic size can be estimated by the item “Heights of the fingers of the right and left hands being different when the upper limbs are raised”.