Somatic determinants of changes in selected body posture parameters in younger school-age children

Occurrence of Body Posture Abnormalities in Overweight and Obese Children Aged 5-6 Years-Pilot Study

OBJECTIVES

The study aimed to assess the occurrence of body posture disorders and their changes under the influence of a physioprophylactic program in children depending on body weight.

METHODS

In the examined children, the general and segmental body composition and body posture were determined using a physiotherapeutic assessment based on the Kasperczyk method. Mass, overall, and segmental body composition were determined using the bioelectrical impedance method using a TANITA body composition analyzer. The study group of 76 children was divided due to body weight disorders into Group I (n = 51), in which BMI and fat mass values were within the normative limits for age and gender, and Group II (n = 19), comprising children whose body weight exceeded the norm and/or fat mass exceeded normative values. The examined children underwent a physioprophylactic. The program was conducted by qualified physiotherapists for 12 weeks, once a week for 30 min. The therapeutic program was focused on physioprevention of being overweight and the correction of body posture.

RESULTS

A distal distribution of fat mass was observed in the examined group. Asymmetry in the sagittal plane was found in 35% of children. No statistically significant differences were found in the presence of asymmetry in the sagittal plane between the groups. No statistically significant differences were found in the occurrence of posture irregularities between the groups.

CONCLUSIONS

There were no changes in the weight and body posture of the examined children under the influence of the physiotherapy program. The lack of correlation in the examined group between body weight and posture irregularities in 5-6-year-olds may suggest the acquisition of posture defects as a consequence of the persistence of overweight or obesity.

The Incidence of Body Posture Abnormalities in Relation to the Segmental Body Composition in Early School-Aged Children

Children are exposed to multiple factors that contribute to an increase in body mass and the development of posture defects. The aim of the study is to assess the relationship between the segmental distribution of fat mass and muscle mass and the incidence of body posture abnormalities in early school-aged children. A total of 190 children aged 7-9 were included in the research project. The examined children were divided according to age (class level) into three groups. Height, weight and body composition, BMI, and body posture were determined. Thoracic and lumbar spine abnormalities occurred most frequently in the examined children (7-95%, 8-92%, 9-89.5%). During the assessment of the segmental body composition, the lowest fat-fat-free index was found in the trunk. The number of abnormalities of the cervical spine, pelvis, and lower extremities increases with age. The number of abnormalities of the thoracic and lumbar spine, as well as of upper extremities and the pectoral girdle decreases with age. Body posture abnormalities are correlated with body composition and in particular with the fat mass percentage. The segmental body com-position analyzer can be used to screen for posture defects.