The Angle of Trunk Rotation in School Children: A Study from an Idiopathic Scoliosis Screening. Prevalence and Optimal Age Screening Value

Katarzyna Adamczewska, Marzena Wiernicka, Ewa Malchrowicz-Mośko, Joanna Małecka and Jacek Lewandowski
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Katarzyna Adamczewska: Poznan University of Physical Education, Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation, 61-871 Poznan, Poland
Marzena Wiernicka: Poznan University of Physical Education, Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation, 61-871 Poznan, Poland
Ewa Malchrowicz-Mośko: Poznan University of Physical Education, Faculty of Sport Sciences, 61-871 Poznan, Poland
Joanna Małecka: Poznan University of Physical Education, Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation, 61-871 Poznan, Poland
Jacek Lewandowski: Poznan University of Physical Education, Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation, 61-871 Poznan, Poland

IJERPH, 2019, vol. 16, issue 18, 1-9

Abstract: (1) Background: Idiopathic scoliosis is a deformity of the growing spine. It affects 2–3% of adolescents; yet its cause is still unknown. At the early stage of idiopathic scoliosis (IS), the signs are not very noticeable. That is why the primarily school-based screening for scoliosis is so important. (2) Methods: This was a cross-sectional analysis of 6850 respondents. Participants were elementary school students in the metropolitan area of Poland. The suspicion of IS was based on detection of three-dimensional deformity of the spine using scoliometer. (3) Results: Respondents were divided into two groups: Angle of trunk rotation (ATR) = 0–3º and ATR > 3º. Presented research using a referral criterion of 5º ATR showed that in the group of participants who had ATR > 3º the largest percentage of 5 degree values was recorded at the second and third measurement level of the spine (30.5%, 31.1%, respectively). Analyzing the differences between the two groups of girls (ATR = 0–3º, ATR > 3º), statistically significant differences were recorded between 9 and 11 years of age ( p = 0.0388). Girls with ATR > 3º at all measuring levels are significantly slimmer than girls with ATR 0–3º; (4) Conclusions: Age; sex, and risk of developing angle of trunk rotation are very closely associated. The main thoracic (level 2) and thoraco-lumbar (level 3) level of measuring of the spine appears to be the most differentiating in the diagnosis of scoliosis. Girls with a lower degree of trunk deformity (4–6º trunk rotation), which can present mild scoliosis and those with a higher degree (7º trunk rotation) have lower body mass than girls within the norm.

Keywords: idiopathic scoliosis; angle of trunk rotation; optimal age screening; prevalence; school children (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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