Prevalence of scoliosis among school students in a town in southern Brazil

Authors

  • Lenice Sberse Nery Universidade Luterana do Brasil
  • Ricardo Halpern Universidade Luterana do Brasil
  • Paulo César Nery Universidade Luterana do Brasil
  • Karin Passos Nehme Universidade Luterana do Brasil
  • Aírton Tetelbom Stein Universidade Luterana do Brasil

Keywords:

Scoliosis, Spine, Primary prevention, Students, Triage

Abstract

CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVE: Scoliosis is not a diagnosis, but a description of a structural alteration that occurs in a variety of conditions. Progression of the curvature during periods of rapid growth may result in severe deformity, which may be accompanied by cardiopulmonary compromise. This study had the aims of measuring the prevalence of scoliosis among students in the fifth to eighth school years and investigating possible associations between the presence of scoliosis, body overweight and the weight of school materials. DESIGN AND SETTING: Analytical cross-sectional study developed in the municipality of Carlos Barbosa, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. METHODS: A total of 1340 students were evaluated. The variables studied were the prevalence of scoliosis, type of school, location of the school, age, school year, sex, body weight, prevalence of excessive school material weight, height, body mass index (BMI) and spinal alignment measurements. RESULTS: The prevalence of scoliosis was 1.4%; shoulder and scapula asymmetry, 6.6%; forearm and trunk asymmetry, 4.0%; spinal misalignment, 1.9%; Thales triangle asymmetry, 6.4%; body overweight, 19.8%; and carrying of excessively heavy school materials, 27%. The study did not find any statistically significant association between scoliosis and body overweight, or between scoliosis and excessive weight of school materials. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of scoliosis in this school-based sample was low. No correlation was found between this clinical condition and the other variables.

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Author Biographies

Lenice Sberse Nery, Universidade Luterana do Brasil

MSc. Nurse. Specialist Public Health teacher, Campanha Nacional de Escolas da Comunidade (CNEC) and municipal employee in Bento Gonçalves, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.

Ricardo Halpern, Universidade Luterana do Brasil

MD, PhD. Professor of Public Health, Universidade Luterana do Brasil (Ulbra) and Universidade Federal of Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre (UFCSPA), Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.

Paulo César Nery, Universidade Luterana do Brasil

MD. Orthopedist in Carlos Barbosa, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.

Karin Passos Nehme, Universidade Luterana do Brasil

Physiotherapist in Carlos Barbosa, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.

Aírton Tetelbom Stein, Universidade Luterana do Brasil

MD, PhD. Professor of Public Health, Universidade Luterana do Brasil (Ulbra) and Universidade Federal em Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre (UFCSPA); care protocol coordinator of Grupo Hospitalar Conceição (GHC), Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.

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Published

2010-03-03

How to Cite

1.
Nery LS, Halpern R, Nery PC, Nehme KP, Stein AT. Prevalence of scoliosis among school students in a town in southern Brazil. Sao Paulo Med J [Internet]. 2010 Mar. 3 [cited 2025 Mar. 16];128(2):69-73. Available from: https://periodicosapm.emnuvens.com.br/spmj/article/view/1734

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Original Article