The prevalence of posture pathology in school-aged children (results of a population-based study with the use of the computerized photo-geometric program “Posture”)

Abstract

Pathology of posture in children remains currently unresolved problem. According to foreign studies in the general population, the occurrence of idiopathic scoliosis in adolescents with an angle above 10º according to Cobb accounts for 0.93 % to 12.00 %. In Ukraine, the prevalence of posture pathology is not known.The purpose of the work – to study the prevalence of posture pathology among school-aged children.Material and methods. 1922 schoolchildren of 6–17 years, residents of Kyiv (Ukraine), were examined with the computerized photo-geometric program “Posture” between 2017 and early 2019.Results. Deviation of the spinal column from the midline in the frontal, sagittal plane (functional and organic disorders of posture) was observed in 75.3 % of children. Among them, signs of scoliotic spinal deformity were found in 72.5 % of children, in girls – 1.5 times more often. The angle of maximum deflection of the scoliotic arch from the median line was ≥5º in 13.7 % of children with scoliosis and in 9.9 % of all the examined children.Conclusions. Sensitivity (95 %) and specificity (85 %) of the computerized photo-geometric program “Posture” were determined, which points to the necessity to be applied in health care maintaining practice. The pathology of posture in schoolchildren of the city of Kyiv was determined in 75.3 %, among them the signs of scoliotic spinal deformity were noted in 72.5 %. The scoliosis incidence with a deflection angle of spinal deformity ≥5º was 9.9 %. It attests to the fact that it is necessary to develop medical and social programs for the prevention and treatment of posture pathology in children.