By convention kyphosis is a positive angle and lordosis is a negative angle, with the patient facing to the viewer’s right side. How was that defined as positive and negative values?
The convention is for the subject to face to the right of the examiner. Kyphosis is the primary angle (from birth) while lordotic are secondary. Concavities facing to the right of the examiner (think number line) are positive and to the left negative. The same holds true for coronal curves except that the convention is for the patient to face the examiner so that the subject's left is to the examiner's right. A concavity pointing to the right is a positive angle and to the left, negative.
Thank you so much for sharing that. I tried to find that for over a week but could not find a basic explanation. Thanks a lot.
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