Analysis of anterior trunk symmetry index (ATSI). Preliminary report

Regular School Sport versus Dedicated Physical Activities for Body Posture-A Prospective Controlled Study Assessing the Sagittal Plane in 7-10-Year-Old Children

Body posture develops during the growing period and can be documented using trunk photography. The study aims to evaluate the body posture in children aged 7-10 years undergoing a dedicated physical activities program versus regular school sport. A total of 400 children, randomly chosen from a cohort of 9300 participating in a local scoliosis screening program, were evaluated twice at a one-year interval. A total of 167 children were involved in regular school sport (control group), while 233 received both school sport and a dedicated physical activities program (intervention group). Standardized photographic habitual body posture examination was performed at enrollment (T0) and one-year after (T1). Sacral slope (SS), lumbar lordosis (LL), thoracic kyphosis (TK), chest inclination (CI), and head protraction (HP) were measured. At T0, the body posture parameters did not differ between groups. At T1 in the controls, all five parameters tended to deteriorate (insignificant): SS p = 0.758, LL p = 0.38, TK p = 0.328, CI p = 0.081, and HP p = 0.106. At T1 in the intervention group, the SS decreased (p = 0.001), the LL tended to decrease (p = 0.0602), and the TK, CI, and HP remained unaltered. At T1, the SS and LL parameter differed between groups statistically (p = 0.0002 and p = 0.0064, respectively) and clinically (2.52° and 2.58°, respectively). In 7-10-year-old children, participation in dedicated physical activities tends to improve their body posture compared to regular school sport.

Assessment of the coronal plane trunk symmetry in children

Objective: To present the use of Posterior Trunk Symmetry Index (POTSI) and Anterior Trunk Symmetry Index (ATSI) for the assessment of the coronal plane trunk symmetry in children; to compare the two measures in individual subjects and to evaluate the possible association of each measure with gender and age (<6 vs. >6 years). Methods: Trunk photographs in uncorrected standing position were taken and analyzed to calculate POTSI and ATSI from measurements in 50 healthy children (64% girls), mean age 7.1 ± 3.38 years. The raw data were normalized. Results: Mean POTSI: 28.45 ± 13.28 (normal values <27); mean ATSI: 35.54 ± 20.81 (normal range not established). No correlation was found between the POTSI and ATSI (r = 0.179; p = 0.21). There were no differences in the POTSI and ATSI between genders and age groups (<6 vs. >6 years). Trunk symmetry in coronal plane may be assessed with POTSI and ATSI parameters in children as young as approximately 2 years old if they cooperate. Conclusion: In healthy children, the values of POTSI and ATSI were independent of gender and chronological age. The combined use of POTSI and ATSI measurements in the same child seems a valuable tool for comprehensive trunk symmetry assessment but its application to physiotherapy practice requires further studies.