The measurement and assessment of the shape of the human back is in the process of becoming an important area of research. Various measuring techniques have already been developed, including moiré topography, stereoscopic photography and raster stereography. These have been employed in the evaluation of scoliosis, kyphosis, funnel chest and other pathological conditions of the spine. These systems are very complicated (and expensive) since they involve a three-dimensional analysis of the shape of the back. For preventive medical purposes, however, evaluation of the spine in the median sagittal plane alone often suffices. In this study, the inclinations of the back along the spine were measured, and it has been shown that these measurements can be used to reconstruct the shape of the back.