Postural Disorders Research Articles

Correction of postural impairments in children with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis

BACKGROUND: Patients with multiple sclerosis who have multifocal lesions of the central nervous system may present various complaints, including loss of balance. Some postural control disorders are detected already at an early stage of the disease. Solving this problem is critical, as it directly causes falls with subsequent injuries and deteriorating quality of life. The Balance Evaluation Systems Test offers benefits over other postural control assessment tests. It enables more personalized therapy, especially in the context of decreased tolerance to physical exercise in patients. AIM: To implement the Balance Evaluation Systems Test for a detailed assessment of postural control, identifying the markers to be used for the development of individual physical rehabilitation programs, as well as to assess the effectiveness of this approach. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This single-center, prospective, continuous, controlled, randomized study involved 38 patients from the pediatric neuropsychiatric department of a Russian children’s clinical hospital (mean age: 13–16 years). All of them had a confirmed diagnosis of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis. The patients were examined in the pediatric medical rehabilitation department using the Balance Evaluation Systems Test at the beginning and at the end of a therapeutic exercise course conducted on a daily basis for 10 days. The patients were randomized into two groups, 19 persons each. The control group was offered standard balance exercises; in the experimental group, exercises were selected individually for each patient, considering the identified postural control defects. RESULTS: The treatment resulted in statistically significant changes for patients both in the control and experimental groups (p 0.001). However, when comparing the results after the exercise course between the groups, the experimental group demonstrated more significant changes in postural control (p 0.001). CONCLUSION: Therefore, the Balance Evaluation Systems Test helps develop a personalized physical rehabilitation program showing more effective results. This provides patients with an opportunity to improve their functional status and reduce the risk of falls and injuries, while delaying the progression of disability and improving the quality of life.

Postural disorders in preschool children

Postural disorders in preschool children

The Study of the Influence of the Educational Environment on the Deterioration of the Health of Medical University Students

One of the important socio-hygienic indicators of public health is the prevalence of eye diseases. According to the WHO World Vision Report, the problem of visual impairment is global in nature. It is noted that at least 2.2 billion people suffer from visual impairment worldwide. There is a worldwide trend of increasing the annual increase in ophthalmic patients in all population groups. This article discusses the problem of deterioration of ophthalmological health of students. During their studies at the university, the health of students deteriorates, there is an increase in chronic pathology, including ophthalmology. By the end of the institute, about 50-70% of students have visual impairments. The article considers the issues of the influence of students' learning conditions outside educational institutions on the deterioration of ophthalmological health. The students of the medical university were studied by means of a questionnaire. It is established that more than 90% of students prepare for classes in comfortable home conditions. About a third of the students are engaged in self-training in the prone position. And among them, there is a higher percentage of people with progressive posture disorders and progressive visual impairment compared to those who practice sitting. The high intensity of the educational process with prolonged, more than 4 hours a day, use of electronic devices, including mobile phones, smartphones, tablets, desktop computers, is accompanied by a large visual load and leads to visual fatigue in 72.8% of the studied. The obtained data state the need to take them into account for the development of a set of preventive measures aimed at continuing the formation of healthy lifestyle attitudes among students, attracting internists, orthopedists, ophthalmologists, hygienists, since prevention and compliance with hygienic standards play a crucial role in maintaining the health of every person.

The Influence of Artificial Breast Volume Induction on Postural Stability, Postural Orientation, and Neuromuscular Control in Healthy Women: A Cross-Sectional Study

(1) Background: The percentage of breast augmentations has increased in recent years alongside the frequency of implant removals. Musculoskeletal and postural disorders are often overlooked during this removal process. Research indicates that excess anterior load from breast implants can disrupt postural control and potentially lead to short- or long-term musculoskeletal dysfunction. This study aims to evaluate the immediate changes in postural control after artificial breast augmentation in healthy female volunteers. (2) Methods: Spinal angles, the center of pressure (CoP), and electromyographic activity of the spinal muscles were recorded in the static position and during the functional reach test (FRT) without and with implants of different volumes (220 mL, 315 mL, and 365 mL). Subjective perceptions of effort, comfort, weight, and performance in the FRT were also assessed. (3) Results: Statistical differences were significant in the scapular elevator during the one-minute standing position (lower activation with the 220 mL implant compared to the control and 315 mL) and in the trapezius muscles during the FRT (lower activation in the upper trapezius in the 315 mL vs. control in the reach phase and 220 mL vs. control in the return phase and higher activation in the lower trapezius in the 315 and 365 mL vs. control in the reach phase). Additionally, significant differences were identified in the performance of the FRT and the associated subjective perceptions. (4) Conclusions: Breast implants with sizes of 220, 315, and 365 mL can alter scapular neuromuscular control, but these differences do not seem substantial enough to result in negative biomechanical effects in the short-term analysis.

High-dose Vitamin-B6 reduces sensory over-responsivity.

Sensory reactivity differences are experienced by between 5% and 15% of the population, often taking the form of sensory over-responsivity (SOR), in which sensory stimuli are experienced as unusually intense and everyday function is affected. A potential mechanism underlying over-responsivity is an imbalance between neural excitation and inhibition in which inhibitory influences are relatively weakened. Therefore, interventions that boost neural inhibition or reduce neural excitation may reduce SOR; Vitamin-B6 is the coenzyme for the conversion of excitatory glutamate to inhibitory gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), and in animal models, it both increases the concentration of GABA and reduces glutamate. To discover whether taking a high dose of Vitamin-B6 reduces SOR and other aspects of sensory reactivity. We recruited 300 adults (249 females) from the general population who completed the Sensory Processing 3-Dimensions Scale (SP-3D) first at baseline, and again following randomisation to either 1 month's supplementation with 100 mg Vitamin-B6, or one of two control conditions (1000 µg Vitamin-B12 or placebo). To focus on individuals who experience SOR, we analysed the effects of supplementation only on individuals with high baseline SOR scores (above the 87th percentile). In individuals with SOR at baseline, Vitamin-B6 selectively reduced SOR compared to both placebo and Vitamin-B12. We also found that Vitamin-B6 selectively reduced postural disorder in individuals with high scores on this subscale at baseline, but there were no effects on the four remaining SP-3D subscales. Clinical trials and mechanistic studies should now be conducted in autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and other groups with SOR.

Review of domestic inventions on methods for diagnostics of postural disorders of the musculoskal system

The development of the musculoskeletal system depends on many components of anatomically determined changes in the body, the structure of movement patterns and the mechanisms of action involved in it. Postural disorders can arise as a result of various reasons and be a source of further changes in the body, influencing the development of compensatory changes and functional transformations of the motor sphere. Diagnosis of the state of the musculoskeletal system is an urgent task, through which many somatic changes can be corrected or compensated in a timely manner. This article reviews patent documents from databases such as FIPS, Orbit, Google patents over the past 30 years. It was revealed that the study of postural disorders is carried out in four areas of study: visual assessment in a standing position; diagnostic methods using stabilometric platforms; characteristics of disturbances in the assessment of muscle electrical potentials and analysis of the kinematics of motor actions during movement. In their content aspect, these diagnostic methods are focused on the quantitative and qualitative characteristics of the location of the boundaries of the regions of bone segments, the center of gravity of the body and the parameters of its movement during motor action; assessment of electromyographic indicators of coordination of muscle efforts in static and dynamic positions; analysis of the biomechanics of movement patterns with consideration of various components of the motor act.

Pain in Spinal Muscular Atrophy Type 2 and Type 3 Patients

Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is an autosomal recessive neuromuscular disease characterized by degeneration of alpha motor neurons. It is a multisystemic disease affecting non-neuronal systems and quality of life. We aimed to investigate the prevalence and characteristics of pain in children with spinal muscular atrophy. In this single-center study, by using visual analog scales, 13 patients diagnosed with SMA type 2 and type 3 accompanied by their parents filled out a questionnaire involving questions about the presence of chronic pain, pain frequency, duration, location, and intensity, causes of pain, and coping methods. All patients reported that they experienced chronic pain. Patients with type 3 experienced pain more frequently than those with type 2—multiple times each month. The terms "minutes," "mild," and "intermittent" were most commonly used to describe the length, intensity, and course of the pain in both groups. The mean pain intensity according to Visual Analogue Scale were 35.526.3 mm in type 2 and 25.110.2 mm in type 3. The localization of pain was primarily concentrated in the back and lower extremities. The most common causes of pain were stretching exercises during physical therapy and posture disorder. The most common methods of coping with pain were distraction strategy and massage. Pain is a common problem in children with SMA. Management of the pain might increase the life quality of SMA patients. A multidisciplinary approach must be considered in the treatment of these children.

Risk Factors Involved in Postural Disorders in Children and Adolescents.

Postural disorders in children and adolescents have an increasing incidence. The aim of this study was to identify the type of postural defects in school-age and preschool children, as well as the external risk factors determined by an inadequate lifestyle. The research included 134 children aged between 5 and 18 years, in whom postural defects were identified. The project involved an examination of the children's body posture, a survey of the parents to determine the children's lifestyle, blood tests, and spinal X-rays. A significant percentage (76%) of the children included in the study were underweight. The examination of postural defects in the students revealed scoliosis in 21% of the patients, kyphosis in 7.5%, and lordosis in 1.5%, while 70% of the patients presented an association between at least two postural defects. As far as risk factors are concerned, we identified the presence of rickets sequelae in 70% of the patients, the presence of pectus excavatum in 43% of the patients, genu varum in 15%, and flat foot in 12%. Additionally, 90% of the children had an incorrect posture at the desk, while 42% incorrectly carried their backpack on one shoulder only. In terms of diet quality, associations between an inadequate diet and postural disorders were found for kyphosis, scoliosis, and other deformities. In conclusion, postural abnormalities in children have an increased incidence from an early age and are a result of the change in lifestyle in recent years, represented by sedentarism, a lack of physical activity, the excessive use of electronic devices, stress, and an inadequate diet.

One-Side Weight Sports and the Impact of Their Load on the Feet and the Occurrence of Posture Disorders in Professional Football and Handball Players

The aim of this study was to evaluate center of pressure (CoP) changes in unilateral sports and examine how these changes affect the athlete’s feet, ankles, knees or posture. The study sample consisted of 40 professional male players (age: 19.4 ± 2.08 years; height: 165.78 ± 4.92 cm; weight: 59.04 ± 4.02 kg; BMI: 21.57 ± 2.22; foot size: 40.9 ± 1.6), divided by type of sport into group H—handball (n: 20) and group F—football (n: 20). To evaluate the monitored parameters, we used the instrumental diagnostic techniques: 3D laser footscan, baropodometric platform FreeStep and 2D Videography. We found no significant differences between the groups in the loading of the right and left foot (F: 8.3 ± 4.22; H: 7.7 ± 6.1) (p = 0.410). We found a significant difference in the load on the front and back of the left (p = 0.0079) and right foot (p = 0.0210) depending on the type of sport performed. Maximum and mean values of CoP (g/cm2) showed statistically significant differences depending on the sport performed (p < 0.0001). The shift in CoP (mm) from the norm depending on the sport performed was confirmed in the latero-lateral direction (p = 0.003), but not in the antero-posterior direction (p = 0.320). We found a difference in the angulation of the knees and heels depending on the sport played. Handball players showed higher knee varosity/valgosity (p = 0.015) and heel values than football players (p = 0.002). The handball players also confirmed a worse postural load and initial forward posture. The one-sided sports, handball and football, showed negative effects on the athlete’s movement system. These changes were more pronounced in handball players. Proper training programs should be applied in athletes’ daily routine to improve the negative effects of unilateral sports.

Static and Dynamic Functional Network Connectivity inParkinson's Disease Patients With Postural Instability andGait Disorder.

The exact cause of the parkinsonism gait remains uncertain. We first focus on understanding the underlying neurological reasons for these symptoms through the examination of both static functional network connectivity (SFNC) and dynamic functional network connectivity (DFNC). We recruited 64 postural instability and gait disorder-dominated Parkinson's disease (PIGD-PD) patients, 31 non-PIGD-PD (nPIGD-PD) patients, and 54 healthy controls (HC) from Nanjing Brain Hospital. The GIFT software identified five distinct independent components: the basal ganglia (BG), cerebellum (CB), sensory networks (SMN), default mode network (DMN), and central executive network (CEN). We conducted a comparison between the SFNC and DFNC of the five networks and analyzed their correlations with postural instability and gait disorder (PIGD) symptoms. Compared with nPIGD-PD patients, the PIGD-PD patients demonstrated reduced connectivity between CEN and DMN while spending less mean dwell time (MDT) in state 4. This is characterized by strong connections. Compared with HC, PIGD-PD patients exhibited enhanced connectivity in the SFNC between CB and CEN, as well as the network between CB and DMN. Patients with PIGD-PD spent more MDT in state 1, which is characterized by few connections, and less MDT in state 4. In state 3, there was an increase in the functional connectivity between the CB and DMN in patients with PIGD-PD. The nPIGD patients showed increased SFNC connectivity between CB and DMN compared to HC. These patients spent more MDT in state 1 and less in state 4. The MDT and fractional windows of state 2 showed a positive link with PIGD scores. Patients with PIGD-PD exhibit a higher likelihood of experiencing reduced brain connectivity and impaired information processing. The enhanced connection between the cerebellum and DMN networks is considered a type of dynamic compensation.

The relationship between cardiovagal baroreflex and cerebral autoregulation in postural orthostatic tachycardia disorder using advanced cross-correlation function

Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) presents excessive orthostatic tachycardia and orthostatic intolerance. POTS is a common and therapeutically challenging condition affecting numerous people worldwide. As many disease entities can be confused with POTS, it becomes critical to identify this syndrome. Moreover, unbalanced autonomic nervous activity can induce cardiovascular diseases and influence the bio-feedback mechanism: Baroreflex (BR) and cerebral autoregulation (CA). BR and CA are important bio-mechanisms that maintain a stable circulatory system via the autonomic nervous system. Therefore, an impaired autonomic nervous system would lead to imbalanced BRS and CA. Consequently, we propose an advanced cross-correlation function (ACCF) time-domain approach to analyze baroreflex and cerebral autoregulation using physiological signals. This study assesses relation changes in BR and CA using ACCF in POTS for early clinical detection and diagnosis. The ACCF analysis results has thresholds that reveal that the BR of healthy and POTS groups present significantly different maximum CCF values (p < 0.05). The complete CCF index shows that the BR phase changes significantly into phase lag in the POTS group. Although CA analysis using the maximum CCF index was mildly weak, it did not differ in the POTS group. Thus, POTS only affects BR. An increasing sympathetic activity might induce an unbalanced baroreflex effect and increase cerebral vasomotor tone with CA. Maximum CCF value correlation coefficients between BR and CA indicated positive in POTS groups and negative in the healthy group. It could be speculated that the sympathetic nervous system compensates to improve BR function, which remains CA function. The advantage of this ACCF algorithm is that it helps observe BR and CA for early detection.

Dear DrDr Omid Massah Thank you very much for submitting your manuscript to Physical Treatments Journal. Your Manuscript with the code "A-10-263-1" and entitled " Is Opium Smoking A Cause of Sway Back Posture and Spinal Musculoskeletal Disorders? What is the Relation?", has been reviewed by PTJ international reviewers and their comments are included at the bottom of this letter

Cultural care in nursing is an essential component of holistic healthcare that recognizes the importance of cultural diversity in patient care. As societies become increasingly multicultural, the healthcare system must adapt to meet the diverse needs of its patient population [1]. Nurses, often at the frontline of patient care, play a critical role in providing culturally competent care that respects and responds to their patients' cultural backgrounds. This article explores cultural care's significance in nursing, its challenges, and strategies for effective implementation [2].

Indicators of support-spring properties of the foot of schoolchildren with sensory deprivation in the process of adaptive physical education

Based on the data of scientific and methodological work, it was determined that the musculoskeletal system of a person has many functions, the starting points of which are the provision of support, protection and body movements. The foot is the source of upright walking of human organs. In the conditions of natural locomotion, it is the foot that performs not only the function of support, but also organizes the interaction of the human body with the support surface. It is known that the process of development of the musculoskeletal system of schoolchildren occurs under the influence of various factors, including pathogenic ones. As a result, the musculoskeletal system undergoes certain changes, including pathological ones. The purpose of the article is to analyze the morphological features of 7- year-old schoolchildren with sensory deprivation in the process of adaptive physical education, as a prerequisite for the development of a technology for the formation of statodynamic stability. The study found an increase in the number of schoolchildren with sensory deprivation who were diagnosed with postural disorders. It is possible to note the prevalence of stooping in this contingent. In the formation of the support-spring function of the foot of schoolchildren, there is a complex dynamic of the formation of their lower limbs.

Disentangling gray matter atrophy and its neurotransmitter architecture in drug-naïve Parkinson's disease: an atlas-based correlation analysis.

Parkinson's disease is characterized by multiple neurotransmitter systems beyond the traditional dopaminergic pathway, yet their influence on volumetric alterations is not well comprehended. We included 72 de novo, drug-naïve Parkinson's disease patients and 61 healthy controls. Voxel-wise gray matter volume was evaluated between Parkinson's disease and healthy controls, as well as among Parkinson's disease subgroups categorized by clinical manifestations. The Juspace toolbox was utilized to explore the spatial relationship between gray matter atrophy and neurotransmitter distribution. Parkinson's disease patients exhibited widespread GM atrophy in the cerebral and cerebellar regions, with spatial correlations with various neurotransmitter receptors (FDR-P < 0.05). Cognitively impaired Parkinson's disease patients showed gray matter atrophy in the left middle temporal atrophy, which is associated with serotoninergic, dopaminergic, cholinergic, and glutamatergic receptors (FDR-P < 0.05). Postural and gait disorder patients showed atrophy in the right precuneus, which is correlated with serotoninergic, dopaminergic, gamma-aminobutyric acid, and opioid receptors (FDR-P < 0.05). Patients with anxiety showed atrophy in the right superior orbital frontal region; those with depression showed atrophy in the left lingual and right inferior occipital regions. Both conditions were linked to serotoninergic and dopaminergic receptors (FDR-P < 0.05). Parkinson's disease patients exhibited regional gray matter atrophy with a significant distribution of specific neurotransmitters, which might provide insights into the underlying pathophysiology of clinical manifestations and develop targeted intervention strategies.

Functional classification systems in Brazilian children with cerebral palsy: Reliability and associations between functional levels

ABSTRACT Children with Cerebral palsy (CP) present movement and posture disorders. The Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS), Manual Ability Classification System (MACS), Communication Function Classification System (CFCS), Eating and Drinking Ability Classification System (EDACS), and Visual Function Classification System (VFCS) enhance the understanding of their performance. We verified inter-rater reliability and associations between the classification levels. Physical therapists classified 100 Brazilian children with CP (3–17 years) according to GMFCS, MACS, CFCS, EDACS, and VFCS. To evaluate inter-rater reliability (Intraclass Correlation Coefficient-ICC) two independent examiners concurrently assessed a subset of 60 participants. According to Spearman’s correlation coefficients, there were associations between GMFCS/MACS (r = 0.81), GMFCS/CFCS (r = 0.70), MACS/CFCS (r = 0.73), GMFCS/VFCS (r = 0.61), MACS/VFCS (r = 0.61), CFCS/EDACS (r = 0.58), CFCS/VFCS (r = 0.50), and EDACS/VFCS (r = 0.45) (p < .05). The inter-rater reliability ranged from excellent (ICC = 0.93-0.99) to good (ICC = 0.89), p < .05. The classification systems are reliable, and the levels associated with each other in Brazilian children, especially the GMFCS, MACS, and CFCS.

Efficient diagnostic classification of diverse pathologies through contextual eye movement data analysis with a novel hybrid architecture

The analysis of eye movements has proven valuable for understanding brain function and the neuropathology of various disorders. This research aims to utilize eye movement data analysis as a screening tool for differentiation between eight different groups of pathologies, including scholar, neurologic, and postural disorders. Leveraging a dataset from 20 clinical centers, all employing AIDEAL and REMOBI eye movement technologies this study extends prior research by considering a multi-annotation setting, incorporating information from recordings from saccade and vergence eye movement tests, and using contextual information (e.g. target signals and latency of the eye movement relative to the target and confidence level of the quality of eye movement recording) to improve accuracy while reducing noise interference. Additionally, we introduce a novel hybrid architecture that combines the weight-sharing feature of convolution layers with the long-range capabilities of the transformer architecture to improve model efficiency and reduce the computation cost by a factor of 3.36, while still being competitive in terms of macro F1 score. Evaluated on two diverse datasets, our method demonstrates promising results, the most powerful discrimination being Attention & Neurologic; with a macro F1 score of up to 78.8%; disorder. The results indicate the effectiveness of our approach in classifying eye movement data from different pathologies and different clinical centers accurately, thus enabling the creation of an assistant tool in the future.

A Mobile based Decision Support System for Postural Evaluation of Agricultural Activities with Rapid Entire Body Assessment (REBA)

Agriculture is an unorganized sector and it is a very high drudgery prone profession due to the absence of awareness and entry of advanced agricultural technologies. Many farming activities and operations are carried out by farm workers in the agriculture sector, where they are subject to very poor working conditions which can lead to physical and mental stress. Workers in agriculture experience musculoskeletal disorders in various body parts throughout various agricultural operations. These problems are caused by heavy work loads, repetitive movements, uncomfortable postures, prolonged periods of time spent in neutral or unsupported positions and the use of conventional equipment and implements that are not ergonomically built. The ergonomic risk factors present in the workplace can be examined using various evaluation instruments to ascertain the workers abilities and drawbacks. The work-related risks are measured using the scientifically validated posture assessment instruments. Rapid entire body assessment (REBA) is a technique that assess a person’s complete body including wrists, fore arms, elbows, shoulders, neck, trunk, back, legs and knees. It uses a systematic process to find the postural musculoskeletal disorders and risks associated with the job tasks. A mobile application is developed to assess the agricultural activities on the basis of physiological analysis and postural analysis using REBA ergonomics technique. The application evaluates the drudgery involved in the agricultural work by using physical assessment followed by postural ergonomics methods and provide recommendation of correct posture to avoid developing musculoskeletal disorders.

Pierre-Marie Gagey and the Evolution of Posturology: Unraveling the Complexity of the Fine Postural Control System.

The subtle sway of human standing posture began to be studied in the 19th century. Since then, numerous approaches - from the early statokinesiometers to the more advanced force platforms or 3D-posture recording systems - have been developed to understand human postural control physiology and its clinical implications. French physician Pierre-Marie Gagey made significant contributions to the field of posturology, a discipline focused on the intricacies of human postural control. From the 1950s, he advanced the field through observation and experimentation, particularly exploring the relationship between postural muscle tone and the fine postural control system. Gagey's collaboration with researchers of that time led to the refinement of stabilometry, a technique for measuring body sway in standing positions. Throughout his career, Gagey worked across multiple disciplines, including ophthalmology, podiatry, psychology, and the study of the vestibular and stomatognathic systems, to develop a comprehensive approach to postural assessment and treatment. His efforts culminated in the standardization of stabilometry, ensuring consistent and accurate measurements across different platforms. Gagey's work emphasized the complexity of postural control, highlighting the integration of peripheral and central nervous system inputs in maintaining balance. His research has left an enduring impact on the field of posturology, providing a framework for understanding and treating postural disorders. Pierre-Marie Gagey passed away in 2023, but his pioneering contributions continue to influence the study and clinical practice of human postural control. This narrative review aims to pay tribute to Dr. Gagey's career and research activity.

Justification of the need to search and use pre-nosological markers of functional deviations of posture of children 6-7 years at the stage of formation of student skills

The problem of forming a healthy posture of schoolchildren is in dire need of an effective solution over the past decades. So according to K.I. Khodatskaya, A.A. Kuts, 2020 and others, posture disorders in children of primary school age are 62.8%, and among adolescents 11-15 years old they reach 80-90% of the total number of students. Purpose: theoretically and experimentally substantiate the feasibility of finding and using pre-nosological markers of posture disorders of students 6-7 years old at the stage of adaptation of the musculoskeletal system for school educational loads. The methodological basis of the study was the component analysis of the second variant of the Romberg test, on the basis of which the indicators of stability coefficients of the equilibrium function (EMF) and asymmetry of the equilibrium function (EDF) were calculated. Research methods: theoretical analysis of scientific and methodological literature, dynamic pedagogical observation, Romberg functional test (second option), goniometry of the spine according to V. A. Hamburtsev, stating experiment, statistical methods. Contingent of subjects: the study involved 12 boys 6-7 years old, first grade students of secondary schools of the city, who were assigned to the main group for health reasons. Scientific novelty: for the first time developed a complex of pre-nosological markers of posture for students 6-7 years old, who start school load; A preventive approach to the formation of posture of students 6-7 years old at the stage of adaptation to educational loads is substantiated, criteria that determine the risk group regarding the predicted occurrence of certain functional deviations in the posture state are worked out. The effectiveness of the goniometry method for studying the dynamics of indicators of the morphofunctional state of the spine of students 6-7 years old during the first year of school has been confirmed. The practical significance of the results obtained is that primary school teachers and parents will receive a ready-made toolkit based on innovative technologies for carrying out specific health-saving work in the direction of forming the posture of children 6-7 years old during the first year of schooling and the entire period of schooling.

POSTURE CORRECTION IN MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS USING APPLIED KINESIOLOGY

The purpose of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness and feasibility of using applied kinesiology in a posture correction program for middle school children. The study involved 20 children aged 14-15 years (10 girls and 10 boys) who had postural disorders in the frontal plane. Three methods were used to assess posture: visual diagnosis, diagnosis by plumb line, and scoliosis measurement. Visual diagnosis included the evaluation of posture symmetry by shoulder height, scapula angles, and waist triangles symmetry. Diagnosis by plumb line assessed the alignment of spinous processes along a vertical line. Scoliometry was used to measure the degree of spinal curvature. The posture correction program included manual muscle testing, kinesio taping, manual techniques (ischemic pressure of trigger points, fascial release using a vibration gun, deep point massage), and special corrective exercises. The results showed a significant decrease in scoliosis measurements in all students, from 8.6 to 4 degrees. This indicates the effectiveness of applied kinesiology in correcting postural disorders in middle school children. Performing the exercises helped inhibit old and establish new connections in the cerebral cortex by building new motor pathways. Additionally, it fostered an understanding and habit of maintaining correct posture in children. Overall, the study demonstrated that applied kinesiology is an effective method for correcting postural disorders in middle school-aged children, leading to better posture habits and improved spinal alignment.