Sitting Posture, Sagittal Spinal Curvatures and Back Pain in 8 to 12-Year-Old Children from the Region of Murcia (Spain): ISQUIOS Programme

Abstract

To explore sagittal spinal alignment and pelvic disposition of schoolchildren in a slump sitting position is needed in order to establish preventive educational postural programs. The purposes of this study were to describe sagittal spinal alignment and pelvic tilt (LSA) in a slump sitting position and to explore the association of sagittal spine and pelvic tilt with back pain (BP) among 8-12-year-old children. It was a cross-sectional study. Sagittal spinal curvatures, BP and pelvic tilt were assessed in 582 students from 14 elementary schools. It was found that 53.44% of children had slight thoracic hyperkyphosis and that 48.80% presented moderate lumbar hyperkyphosis and 38.66% presented slight lumbar hyperkyphosis. Those who did not suffer from BP in any part of the back had a higher lumbar kyphosis (24.64 ± 7.84) or a greater LSA (107.27 ± 5.38) than children who had some type of BP in the previous year or week (lumbar kyphosis: 23.08 ± 8.06; LSA: 105.52 ± 6.00), although with no clinically relevant differences. In fact, neither sufferers nor those who did not have BP presented normal mean values for lumbar kyphosis or LSA according to normality references. This study demonstrates the need to assess sagittal morphotype in childhood since schoolchildren remain incorrectly seated for many hours and it greatly affects their spinal curvatures.

Back Pain Related with Age, Anthropometric Variables, Sagittal Spinal Curvatures, Hamstring Extensibility, Physical Activity and Health Related Quality of Life in Male and Female High School Students

“…In fact, misalignment was not included in the logistic regression model. Similar results have been found in previous studies, which explained the results by studying the association of spine posture as a single variable [ 22 , 82 , 83 ]. Furthermore, most of the participants showed neutral curvatures, which can influence the relationship with SP.…”

“…Furthermore, most of the participants showed neutral curvatures, which can influence the relationship with SP. In this sense, students with a musculoskeletal illness were excluded in the present study, so it could be possible that results could be different when students with a pathology in the sagittal plane of the spine are analyzed [ 22 , 35 ]. This is an important issue for future research.…”

“…For the lumbar curvature, values higher than −20° were considered as hypolordosis curves, values between −20 and −40° as neutral lordosis and values lower than −40° as hyperlordosis [ 34 ]. This classification for spinal curvatures has been used in several studies with adolescents [ 22 , 35 ].…”

“…Another option is to carry out specific exercise programs in high school to improve factors that could be related with SP [ 19 , 20 , 21 ]. Along this line, SP has been linked to spine misalignments [ 7 , 22 ]; shortness in hamstring extensibility [ 23 ]; body height, body mass index (BMI), waist and hip girths [ 23 , 24 ]; or sedentary behaviors during leisure time [ 24 , 25 ] in childhood and adolescence. However, SP is characterized by a multifactorial condition which involves several risk factors such as sociodemographic, physiological or psychosocial factors [ 2 ], and most of the prior studies focused on a period of growth only used a one-factor approach.…”

Sagittal Integral Morphotype of Competitive Amateur Athletes and Its Potential Relation with Recurrent Low Back Pain

“…These results are similar to those previously reported [10,15,17,46,47]. Indeed, male CAA in the present study had higher values of thoracic curvature and higher hyperkyphosis frequency than females in the relaxed standing position, slump sitting position, and maximum trunk forward flexion position; these results are consistent with those reported in trampoline gymnasts [17,46], artistic gymnasts [15], and the non-athletic population [48,49]. Considering these results, the male athletes of this study could have a higher influence of upper crossed syndrome.…”