POSTURAL VALUATION IN CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS: POSTURE CLASSIFICATION
Authors: Barassi Giovanni , Panunzio Maurizio , Galasso Piero , Moccia Antonio , Colombo Antonio , Praitano Barbara , Licameli Marco , Di Bussolo Giorgia , D'Ambrosio Luciano , Maurelli Roberta , Sticca Giovanna 
Published: October 2023

IntroductionAs well known, to this day, the figure of school doctor is absent and much less physical activity is carried out in primary schools. For this reason, the Italian National Fair Play Committee, a meritorious association legally recognized, founded in 1994, in full synergy with Sport and Health, with CONI, Federations and Sports Promotion Bodies, aware of its vocational role, since 2010 had proceeded to establish "Medici Fair Play", as a not just conceptual defense, to integrate the precious action carried out by sports medicine with the verification of suitability for the practice. Aim of the studyThrough a screening project focused on postural problems, named "IOCHIRON, POSTURE IS HEALTH", we prepared a real cornerstone for health prevention and for charitable and useful purposes for the Higher Institute of Health. The initiative provides for a national screening activity in the three-year period 2022-2024, through an assessment with non-invasive tests, to study the structural level posture of over 7 million children and adolescents. This educational path aims to prevent wrong postures in children and adolescents, between 6 and 15 years of age, who are at the peak of growth, with a huge benefit on possible pathologies that could be found when adult, thus saving high costs to the SSN (or NHS).MethodsThe presented observational study represents the first experience carried out by the CeFiRR Structure (Center for Physiotherapy, Rehabilitation and Rehabilitation) at Gemelli Molise S.p.A. 120 school-age subjects were evaluated through a BioPostural questionnaire and an observational form which provided for the evaluation of the asymmetries of: shoulders, scapula, pelvis, knees, hindfoot, trunk rotation (through a scoliosometer), posterior overhang (through the plumb line) and the plantar vault (through static barodopometry).The outcome measures were calculated on the basis of the number of "YES" responses of the BioPostural questionnaire, and on the basis of the number of "YES" evaluations of the observational form.From the interdisciplinary communication and the interpretation of the outcome measures, Posture was classified the in: Asymmetrical, Dysfunctional and Pathological.ResultsThe 42% of the examined subjects presented a shoulder asymmetry (bisacromial line) and a pelvis asymmetry (bisiliac line); the 33% presented a scapulae asymmetry (lower angle of the scapula); and the 9% of the examined subjects presented a flattening of the plantar vault.The BioPostural Questionnaire reflected what was subsequently observed with the observational form and in particular for the number of affirmative answers recorded, it did not suggest further insights into any subject through a Digitalized Biometric analysis, but it highlighted an important number of subjects in the sample who reported: low back pain (85), neck-pain while studying or reading (68). Conclusions The retrospective observational study showed the possibility of observing the adolescent subject in a very short time and with inexpensive instruments (e.g. plumb bob, Bunner's scoliometer, and stabulometric platform) with the collaboration of various health professionals.This experience allowed us to create a classification, in three degrees, of posture which encloses the objective and subjective characteristics of the subject evaluated for a better interpretation of the data, at a territorial and multi-specialist level.The points of weaknesses of the study are represented by the exiguity of the sample examined, and by the difficulty in exposing and finalizing the data collected at a multidisciplinary level, in a field that is still not so much known.For future experiences, it would be necessary to increase the number of subjects examined and standardize the finalization of the data so that they can be ready for use and vision by a greater number of health professionals and medical specialists