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The objective of this research was to analyze and elucidate the sagittal spinal posture status in older elementary school children, considering their gender and grade differences. The study involved 484 school children (252 males and 232 females) from grades V to VIII, assessed for sagittal spinal posture using the Formetric 4D System. The analysis, employing the Chi-squared test of independence along with the Z-test, did not reveal significant grade-related differences (p < 0.52) in the incidence of normal sagittal alignment or diagnosed outliers. However, within grade levels, no significant difference was observed for male participants (p < 0.80), while a significant difference was identified for females (p < 0.01). Examining gender differences across grades, a disparity was noted only among seventh graders concerning normal spine alignment and outlier existence (p < 0.01), favoring male participants. Regardless of the grade, a significant gender difference emerged in the location of diagnosed outliers: kyphosis (M = 108 vs. F = 72), lordosis (M = 5 vs. F = 14), kypholordosis (M = 18 vs. F = 66), and flatback outlier of the lumbar spine (M = 27 vs. F = 11). These findings suggest potential adjustments to the curriculum and highlight the need to tailor physical education instruction based on this study's outcomes. Consequently, these results imply the importance of a differentiated approach in preventing sagittal plane outliers of the spine in adolescent children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Proper posture, characterized by the appropriate alignment of the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar segments of the spine, enables these regions to maintain their normal curvature. Body composition is recognized as one of the factors that can influence overall postural alignment of the spine. The objective of this study was to determine the influence of the parameters of body composition on the prevalence of postural disorders in the sagittal plane. The cross-sectional study was conducted on 152 children of both genders (78 boys), at a mean age of 11 years ± 6 months. In order to evaluate postural disorders, the Formetric 4D System, a tool manufactured by Diers, Schlangenbad, Germany was used. Based on its output data, the following variables were obtained: hyperkyphosis, hyperlordosis, kypholordosis, flatback, and normal alignment of the body in the sagittal plane. The evaluation of body composition parameters was conducted using the InBody 770 device. To determine how body composition influences the postural status of the spinal column, a discriminant analysis was employed. The results showed that approximately 65.8% of children exhibit various types of postural disorders when assessing the alignment of the spine in the sagittal plane. The most prevalent disorder observed was hyperkyphosis, affecting 34.2% of the subjects, followed by kypholordosis at 16.4%. Moreover, the results demonstrated that body composition significantly influences body posture (p = 0.004). An increase in fat mass corresponds to a deviation from normal body posture, whereas an increase in the percentage of skeletal muscle mass and fat-free mass is associated with a reduction in postural abnormalities in the sagittal plane. Considering the results, it is clear that body composition parameters serve as more reliable predictors of the influence on body posture compared to simply calculating the body mass index. Furthermore, it can be concluded that there are consistent patterns of influence by specific body composition parameters, including fat mass, percentage of skeletal muscle, and fat-free mass, on body posture among children from various climates. These results underscore the significance of implementing strength exercises in children, particularly during periods of rapid growth and development, as a means of preventing and correcting postural disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Copyright of Acta Facultatis Medicae Naissensis is the property of Nis University, Faculty of Medicine and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Facta Universitatis: Series Physical Education & Sport is the property of Facta Universitatis, Series Physical Education & Sport and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Facta Universitatis: Series Physical Education & Sport is the property of Facta Universitatis, Series Physical Education & Sport and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)