The characteristics of sagittal spinal alignment in standing and sitting position in elementary school students

Koji Koyama; Kozo Furushima; Yoshinori Sugano; Azusa Niitsu; Yuka Kodachi; Sosuke Niino; Mayumi Ueno; Eiji Takahashi; Kazutaka Adachi

Return

The characteristics of sagittal spinal alignment in standing and sitting position in elementary school students

VernacularTitle:小学生における立位姿勢と座位姿勢の特徴
Author: Koji KOYAMA ¹ ; Kozo FURUSHIMA ² ; Yoshinori SUGANO ³ ; Azusa NIITSU ³ ; Yuka KODACHI ³ ; Sosuke NIINO ³ ; Mayumi UENO ³ ; Eiji TAKAHASHI ³ ; Kazutaka ADACHI ⁴
Author Information

1. Tokyo Ariake University of Medical and Health Sciences
2. Keiyu Orthopaedic Hospital
3. SSSA Sports Massage Clinic
4. University of Tsukuba
Keywords: poor posture; spinal alignment; excessive thoracic angle
From:Japanese Journal of Physical Fitness and Sports Medicine 2022;71(5):443-453
CountryJapan
Language:Japanese
Abstract: Previous studies have reported that poor posture can induce various musculoskeletal disorders. Recently, poor posture in children has become a problem. This study aimed to determine the characteristics of sagittal spinal alignment in standing and sitting positions in elementary school students and how spinal alignment changes from standing to sitting position. Moreover, it clarifies how poor posture (hyperkyphosis) in the standing position affects sitting posture. This study was conducted among 83 elementary school students. The Spinal-Mouse® System was used to measure the thoracic kyphosis angle (TKA), upper thoracic angle (UTA), lower thoracic angle (LTA), lumbar lordosis angle (LLA), and sacral anteversion angle (SAA) in the standing and sitting positions. Hyperkyphosis was defined as a thoracic kyphosis angle of >40°. Participants were assigned to two groups: hyperkyphosis and non-hyperkyphosis. Significant differences were noted in all spinal alignment characteristics in both the positions. When spinal alignment was changed from standing to sitting, ΔUTA and ΔLTA correlated with ΔLLA and ΔSAA, respectively. A strong negative correlation was noted between ΔLLA and ΔSAA. In the sitting position, TKA, UTA, and LLA were significantly higher in the hyperkyphosis group than in the non-hyperkyphosis group. ΔUTA was significantly higher in the hyperkyphosis group than in the non-hyperkyphosis group when spinal alignment was changed from standing to sitting. The characteristics of sagittal spinal alignment in the sitting position were significantly different from those in the standing position. The study findings suggest that poor posture (hyperkyphosis) in the standing position affects the sitting posture.