LUMBAR ORTHOSIS WITH UNILATERAL HIP IMMOBILIZATION - EFFECT ON INTERVERTEBRAL MOBILITY DETERMINED BY ROENTGEN STEREOPHOTOGRAMMETRIC ANALYSIS

To determine the additional stabilizing effect of unilateral hip fixat ion on external lumbar supports, nine patients with a posterolateral l umbosacral fusion without internal fixation were examines by roentgen stereophotogrammetric analysis. The roentgen stereophotogrammetric ana lysis was performed with the patients in supine and erect positions 1 month after surgery, that is, before fusion consolidation. Each patien t was examined without lumbar support and with a molded, rigid thoraco lumbosacral orthosis with extension to one thigh, thus immobilization one hip. the additional hip immobilization had no consistent or signif icant stabilizing effect on the sagittal, vertical, or transverse inte rvertebral translations in the lower lumbar spine. This study using ro entgen stereophotogrammetric analysis gave no support for including hi p immobilization when using lumbar orthoses after spinal fusion in pat ients adequately cooperating to minimize gross body motions.