PREVALENCE OF SCOLIOSIS IN PUBLIC ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS

Assessment of idiopathic scoliosis among adolescents and associated factors in Palestine

PURPOSE

This study aimed to investigate adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) and its related risk factors, including body mass index (BMI), physical activity (PA), gender, time of the first menstrual cycle, transportation, backpack weight and the way of carrying a backpack.

DESIGN AND METHOD

a cross-sectional quantitative design was utilized. A convenient sample of adolescent students in grades seven through ten was included in the study. A self-reported questionnaire with three sections: demographic data; physical data including height, weight and PA; and Adam's forward bend test to determine each student's spine's Cobb angle by measuring the angle of trunk rotation using a scoliometer. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 25, with confidence intervals of 95%.

RESULTS

A total of 820 schoolchildren participated in the study; 53.7% were female and 46.3% were male. Only 22% of these students engaged in vigorous exercise, compared to 36.7% who engaged in low PA; additionally, 10% of the adolescents had a low BMI. After the analysis, it was found that 5.4% of participants had AIS. Low PA (p = 0.001), being underweight (p = 0.038), and time of first menstrual period (p = 0.033) were significantly associated with AIS, while gender, backpack weight, and way of carrying were not statistically related to AIS. Binary logistic regression identified low PA as an independent predictor of AIS (OR = 7.22, 95%CI [1.64, 31.79]).

CONCLUSIONS

The frequency of AIS in Palestine was significant, which highlighted the importance of this issue at a national and global level. There was an association between AIS and BMI, PA, and the time of the first menstrual cycle, which signifies the importance of early detection of the problem to limit its burden later in life.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

Teachers, teenagers, and their parents should be provided with programs that educate and clarify AIS, and a specific protocol should be established for scoliosis screening in schools.

Overview of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis and associated factors: a scoping review

Around the world, idiopathic scoliosis accounts for the majority of occurrences of adolescent scoliosis. The absence of underlying congenital or neuromuscular problems distinguishes adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS), which affects children ages 13 to 18, from other kinds of scoliosis. The prevalence of AIS is influenced by a number of variables, such as physical activity, gender, backpacks, body mass index, and others. AIS has an impact on the child's development not just physically but also psychologically, emotionally, and mentally. This study used nationwide databases to describe the prevalence of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis and associated risk variables. The current review analysis showed that AIS was significant worldwide and that adolescent gender, physical activity, body mass index, backpack carrying and backpack weight were all significant risk factors for developing AIS.

Childhood Obesity and Incorrect Body Posture: Impact on Physical Activity and the Therapeutic Role of Exercise

Obesity is associated with various dysfunctions of the organism, including musculoskeletal problems. In this narrative review, we aim to consider postural problems in children and adolescents with obesity, focusing on the relationship with its negative impact on physical activity, and to discuss the role of exercise as a therapeutic approach. The body reacts to excess weight by changing its normal balance, and the somatosensory system of children with obesity is forced to make major adjustments to compensate for postural problems. These adaptations become more difficult and tiring if activities that require continuous postural changes and multi-tasking are engaged in. Children with obesity have less body control and functional ability due to the excess fat mass, which reduces their ability to perform motor skills and take part in physical activity. Appropriate early interventions for the management of musculoskeletal problems are needed to ensure healthy growth and to prevent comorbidities in childhood and adulthood. Prevention programs must be based not only on the reduction of body weight but also on the definition of correct postural habits from an early age. It is equally important to provide correct information on the types and doses of physical activity that can help prevent these problems.

Is There a Relationship between Idiopathic Scoliosis and Body Mass? A Scoping Review

The etiopathogenesis of idiopathic scoliosis remains unknown, although genetic or hereditary factors, neurological disorders, hormonal and metabolic dysfunctions, biomechanical factors, and environmental factors seem to be involved. Several studies have found that patients with scoliosis have common characteristics of taller stature, lower body mass index (BMI), and low systemic bone mass. We conducted a scoping review to analyze the association between idiopathic scoliosis and BMI. The search for articles was performed on PubMed and Cochrane, including the English language, full-text and free-full-text articles published from 31 December 2011 to 31 December 2021. Most of the results analyzed are in favor of a relationship between low BMI and scoliosis. Having a low BMI could be associated with the presence of scoliosis, although the reason for which is still doubtful. However, further large-scale epidemiological studies on different ethnicities and a comparison of BMI with the healthy population will be needed to better define the correlation between BMI and scoliosis.

Research of socioeconomic status and school-based health screening results of study with children after two years of COVID-19 pandemic

Aim: Schools are the most effective environments for health screenings for children and adolescents. The aim of school health screenings is to contribute to the protection and maintenance of children's health status by early diagnosis and treatment of diseases. We aimed to reveal the health screening findings of children whose lifestyles changed during the pandemic period, and to compare according to socioeconomic status. Material and Method: Students from three different schools which were grouped as low, middle and high socioeconomic status were included. Hearing test, visual acuity examination, orthopedic examination, blood pressure measurements, height, weight and anthropometric measurements were performed. Descriptive statistical methods were used in the evaluation of the data. Results: 1322 students with parental consent were included in our study. 667 (50.5%) of the students were female, mean age was 11.4±1.1, and mean body mass index score was 19.6±4.0. When body mass index scores were evaluated, 202 (15.3%) students were overweight and 189 (14.3%) were obese. Visual acuity defect was found in 257 (19.4%) of the students and hearing loss in 309 (23.4%). As a result of orthopedic examination and blood pressure measurements, 67 (5.1%) scoliosis and 131 (9.9%) high blood pressure were determined. The rate of hypertension was found to be significantly higher in school students with high socioeconomic status compared to the others (p

Epidemiological and diagnostic characteristics of scoliosis in children in a single tertiary centre in Abidjan

INTRODUCTION

Scoliosis is the most frequent spine deformity in children. Epidemiological data are available in Western countries due to the systematic screening policies implemented at school. Unfortunately, in our country, there are neither national data nor screening policy for scoliosis. Are the epidemiological and diagnostic characteristics of scoliosis in our practice similar to the data in the literature?

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed 106 medical records of patients under 19 years old between 2010 and 2019 at the 'Vivre Debout' Centre for structural scoliosis confirmed by spine X-ray with a Cobb angle ≥10°. The epidemiological and diagnostic characteristics were noted. The data were treated with Excel 2010.

RESULTS

The mean frequency of scoliosis was 10 cases/year. The male-to-female sex ratio was 1:1.3. The mean age at diagnosis was 11.2 ± 2.13 years. There was a family history of scoliosis in two cases (1.8%). Twenty-four girls (39.3%) out of 61 had had menarche at the time of diagnosis. The mean time from noticing deformity to consultation was 17.9 ± 21.9 months. Lateral deviation of the spine (n = 77; 72.6%), hump (n = 12; 11.3%) and pain (n = 3; 2.8%) were the main complaints for consultation. In 14 cases (13.2%), the discovery was fortuitous during a medical examination for another complaint. The curvature was single in 88 cases (83%) and double in 18 (17%). The convexity was right in 69 cases (65.1%) and left in 37 (34.9%). Curvatures were thoracic (n = 57; 53.8%), lumbar (n = 10; 9.4%) and thoracolumbar (n = 39; 36.8%). The average Cobb angle was 35.2° ±10.71° (range: 11°-90°). Curvatures were moderate (20°-40°) in 49 cases (46.2) and severe (>40°) in 18 (17%). The aetiologies were predominated by idiopathic causes (n = 79; 74.5%), followed by congenital (n = 16; 15.1%) and neuromuscular (n = 11; 10.4%) causes.

CONCLUSION

Scoliosis is uncommon in our practice. It is characterised by single curvature. The predominance of moderate and severe curvatures was due to delayed consultation.

Risk Factors, Lifestyle and Prevention among Adolescents with Idiopathic Juvenile Scoliosis: A Cross Sectional Study in Eleven First-Grade Secondary Schools of Palermo Province, Italy

Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) has an incidence of 2–3% in the general population and a multifactorial etiology. The present study aims to analyze modifiable risk factors and their interactions in the development of AIS in order to increase knowledge about the disease and to prevent the evolution of AIS in young students with tailored public health strategies. A cross-sectional study was conducted over two consecutive school years among students attending 11 first-grade secondary schools in the province of Palermo, Italy. A self-administered questionnaire that investigated socio-demographical, physical and anamnestic characteristics and habits, focusing on possible risk factors associated with idiopathic scoliosis, was administered. In addition, a clinical evaluation was performed with Adams’ test and Bunnel’s inclinometer. Suspected AIS cases were associated with the practice of high-risk sports (p < 0.05), weekly physical activity lasting ≥3 h (p < 0.05), lower back pain (p < 0.001), posture disorders (p < 0.01) and having had no contact with a physician (p < 0.01). Practice of high-risk sports (adj OR = 1.83; CI 95% 1.11–4.76) and suffering of posture disorders (adj OR = 1.67; CI 95% 1.12–3.60) showed a significant association with a confirmed diagnosis of AIS (Cobb angle ≥ 10° at X-ray). The risk factors associated with AIS are still unclear. Therefore, it is crucial to identify early modifiable and multiple risk factors to prevent the evolution of scoliosis in school-age children.

Factors affecting the prevalence of idiopathic scoliosis among children aged 8-15 years in Prishtina, Kosovo

Prospective study, Level of evidence II. The aim of the study was to assess the prevalence of scoliosis among children aged 8–15 years old and to identify the impact of schoolbag weight in developing adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS). AIS is a common disease whose prevalence varies between countries and gender, with an increased rate among females compared to males. Screening children in primary school settings for idiopathic scoliosis (IS) is an important public health issue and is crucial for early detection, prevention of further deformity, and healthy child growth. Our sample was composed of 1619 pupils from the municipality of Prishtina, surveyed from March to April 2019. Measurements were made with a scoliometer on the basis of the Adams test process. Three measurements were taken for each of the participants. Additionally, all the pupils were subjected to bare-foot height and weight measurements with and without school bags. The mean ± standard deviation age of pupils was 11.67 ± 2.00 years old and 49% were females. The prevalence of the angle of trunk rotation (ATR) ≥ 5 ° was 26.1%, females had 1.49 higher odds (95%CI 1.19–1.86) to develop an ATR of ≥ 5° compared to males. The highest rate of ATR of ≥ 5° was seen among the ninth-grade students (31.3%). 56.5% of 4th grade students carry a schoolbag weighing over 12.5% of body weight. Relatively high prevalence of idiopathic scoliosis was found in primary schools in Prishtina. The highest prevalence was found in students attending the ninth grade, while females gender dominated.