Effect of temporary school closure due to COVID-19 on musculoskeletal function in elementary school children

Ryoichi Nakajima; Hiroshi Kamada; Taishu Kasai; Yohei Tomaru; Miki Waku; Ayano Yamaki; Atsuhiko Ban; Shumpei Miyakawa; Masashi Yamazaki; Hitoshi Shiraki

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Effect of temporary school closure due to COVID-19 on musculoskeletal function in elementary school children

VernacularTitle:Effect of temporary school closure due to COVID-19 on musculoskeletal function in elementary school children
Author: Ryoichi NAKAJIMA ¹ ; Hiroshi KAMADA ² ; Taishu KASAI ² ; Yohei TOMARU ³ ; Miki WAKU ⁴ ; Ayano YAMAKI ³ ; Atsuhiko BAN ⁵ ; Shumpei MIYAKAWA ⁴ ; Masashi YAMAZAKI ⁶ ; Hitoshi SHIRAKI ³
Author Information

1. Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Japan
2. Center for Sports Medicine and Health Science, University of Tsukuba Hospital, Japan
3. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Japan
4. Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Japan
5. University of Tsukuba Sports Association, Japan
6. Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences Master’s Program in Medical Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Japan
Keywords: standing trunk flexion; COVID-19; children; school closure
From:Journal of Rural Medicine 2021;16(3):154-159
CountryJapan
Language:English
Abstract: Objective: In 2020, coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) became the cause of a pandemic. In response, the Japan Sports Agency issued warnings about secondary damage to health, such as the threat to physical and mental well-being due to the lack of exercise in this situation. In this study, we report on cross-sectional and longitudinal examinations of standing trunk flexion to evaluate how temporary long-term school closures affected musculoskeletal function in elementary school students.Patients and Methods: All children in one public elementary school in T-city during the school years 2019 and 2020 were included in this study. A digital forward flexion meter was used to measure standing trunk flexion.Results: In this study, 284 (284/289: 98.3%) and 266 (266/274: 97.1%) children in school years 2020 and 2019, respectively, were found to have valid data for cross-sectional analysis. The standing trunk flexion did not show significant differences between grades or sexes. In the longitudinal analysis, the results of the comparison of standing trunk flexion in children for two consecutive years revealed significant differences only between grades 3 and 4 (P<0.05) and between girls in grades 3 and 4 (P<0.01), but no significant differences in other grades or among boys or girls were observed.Conclusion: Initially, we expected that there would be a difference in the results of functional assessment using standing trunk flexion depending on the period of absence from school. However, the results of this study showed no significant changes in standing trunk flexion. Moreover, since children’s musculoskeletal functions may be affected by various factors during the COVID-19 pandemic, they should be carefully monitored in the future.