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Evaluation of the thoracic curvature and the presence of pain in women of different age groups

OBJECTIVE: to demonstrate the use of the flexicurve method for evaluation and comparison of thoracic kyphosis in healthy women of different ages, and to observe if there is a correlation between degree of pain and thoracic kyphosis using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS). METHODS: the study was composed by a group of young G1 (n = 24) and another group G2 (n = 24) which were submitted for evaluation of thoracic curvature (using the flexicurve method) and back pain (using VAS). RESULTS: found a statistically significant difference in the angle of thoracic kyphosis in group 2 compared to group 1 and a weak correlation between the angle of thoracic kyphosis and pain classification of the VAS - in groups 1 and 2. CONCLUSION: the group 1 showed a normal degree of thoracic curvature and the group and group 2 showed a exacerbated degree of thoracic kyphosis, characterizing themselves as hiperkyphosis. However, there was no correlation between degree of pain and thoracic kyphosis in both groups.

Kyphosis; Posture; Pain; Evaluation


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