[Lateral spinal curvature measured among children and teenagers as a health problem of future employees].
BACKGROUND
The aim of this study was to evaluate the location of primary lateral curvatures of the spine among children aged 12 to 15.


METHODS
A study group comprised 503 children aged 12 to 15, including 247 (49.11%) girls and 256 (50.89%) boys selected from Primary School No.13 and Secondary School No. 4 in Starachowice. The following parameters were recorded: average height--161.45 cm (girls) and 165.41 (boys); body mass--50.84 kg (girls) and 52.74 kg (boys); and BMI--19.43 (girls) and 19.08 (boys). The spatial photogrammetric method with use of projection chamber effect was applied in the study.


RESULTS
In the whole group, there were only 3 children (0.60%) with correct body posture. The majority of children showed thoracic curvatures (TH)--234 (46.80%), this was followed by lumbar curvatures (L)--170 (34.00%), and thoracic-lumbar curvatures (THL)--96 (19.20%).


CONCLUSIONS
Lateral spinal curvatures appear frequently. The study showed a strong relation between the location of primary curvature, gender (p < 0.001) and age (p < 0.001) of the examined children.
Wilczyński
Jacek
J
Instytut Fizjoterapii, Akademia Swietokrzyska im. Jana Kochanowskiego, Kielce. jacekwilczynski77@poczta.onet.pl
D000293:Adolescent; D016497:Adolescent Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration; D000886:Anthropometry; D001827:Body Height; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008141:Lordosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control; D011044:Poland / Q000453:epidemiology; D011187:Posture; D012600:Scoliosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D013334:Students / Q000706:statistics & numerical data