Prevalence of posture disorders in schoolchildren according to computer optical topography

Abstract

Aim – to assess the prevalence of posture disorders in schoolchildren in the city of Kazan according to optical computer topography to increase the effectiveness of ongoing preventive measures. Material and methods. As part of the ongoing preventive medical examination of underage students in November-December 2022, a computer topographic examination of 776 schoolchildren (347 girls and 429 boys) aged 8.49–16.5 years was conducted in two schools in Kazan. To process the obtained data, the proportion of the feature was calculated, Wilson confidence intervals for occurrence frequency. Results. The study revealed that 44 (12.68%) girls and 62 (14.45%) boys were relatively healthy – they were assigned to the first health group in terms of posture (I-norm; I-subnorm – scoliosis 0–1st degrees); 251 (72.33%) girls and 300 (69.93%) boys had postural disorders; spinal deformities of moderate severity (scoliosis of the 1st–2nd degree and other spinal deformities) were found in 51 (14.7%) girls and 63 (14.69%) boys, and the identified deviations were more common among high school students; scoliosis grade 3 and above was found in one 11-year-old girl, two 12-year-old and two 15-year-old boys (0.29% and 0.93%, respectively). All parents were informed of the screening results; recommendations were given to parents whose children were at risk or who had posture disorders and spinal deformities. Conclusion. The occurrence of posture disorders in schoolchildren in Kazan does not differ from the average level in Russia and does not have a statistically significant difference among girls and boys, however, with an increase in the age of schoolchildren, the proportion of moderate spinal deformities increases: among 15-year-old girls – 19.51% (CI 95% 7.38-31.64); among boys aged 16 – 20.55% (95% CI 11.28-29.82).

Keywords

• spinal deformity
• schoolchildren
• computer optical topography