Spine contour gauge and method

A device and methods for quantitatively measuring spinal contours and flexibility are provided. The device includes a plurality of substantially parallel coplanar shafts slidable within a guide block. One end of each shaft lies within a chamber which may be pressurized, thereby urging the opposite ends of the shafts to gently deploy against a patient's spine. The shafts may be locked in position with a keeper strip. The relative positions of the shafts may be quantified, and these quantified positions may be processed according to methods of the present invention to obtain reliable quantitative summaries of the curvature and flexibility of selected spinal contours.