Normative Values for Active Lumbar Range of Motion Using the Back Range-of-Motion Measurement (BROM) Device in School Age Children: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background: Quantifying changes in spinal mobility throughout the child’s development, and/or during a course of therapy is a valuable component in the pediatric physical therapy management. The purpose of this study was to establish normative values of lumbar spinal mobility on healthy schoolchildren between the ages of 6-12 years.

Methods: 294 children within the age group of 6-12 years were selected from two government schools and two private schools of Mangalore, Karnataka, India. Normative values for each movement of lumbar spine in all the cardinal planes were measured using BROM measurement procedure.

Results: Age and gender had a highly significant effect on the lumbar ranges of motions in flexion, lateral flexion and rotations with p<.05 except for the effect of gender on Extension range. There was no correlation was found between body mass index and hamstring length with lumbar ranges in males and females of any of the age groups.

Conclusion: We developed normative values of spinal mobility for each sex and age grouping from 6-12 years of healthy children. These measures of spinal mobility might help the therapist to identify early restrictions in back mobility in children with neuromusculoskeletal problems and other pediatric populations who are at risk for restrictions in spinal mobility. Early identification could lead to better prevention and also more timely effective treatment programs.