Investigation of the Relationship between Physical Activity Level and Postural Changes in Adolescents

Abstract:

This study aims to evaluate postural disorders and physical activity levels of adolescents between 14 and 17 years of age. This study included 100 voluntary students (mean age 16.0±0.7 years) attending St. George Austrian High School. Students’ physical activity levels were assessed with International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form (IPAQ-SF); postures were evaluated with New York Posture Rating Test (NYPRT) and symmetrigraph; pain levels were assessed with Cornell Musculoskeletal Discomfort Questionnaire. According to our results, regular physical exercise habit was present in 67.3 % of males and 78.4 % of females. Based on IPAQ criteria, 10 % of the participants were inactive, 54 % were minimally active, and 36 % were highly active. Students’ postures were evaluated according to NYPRT criteria, and the most frequent postural disorders among females were anterior tilt of the head (44.9 %), increased lumbar lordosis (40.8 %), uneven shoulder levels (32.7 %), and shoulder protraction (32.7 %); whereas anterior tilt of the head (67.4 %), shoulder protraction (51.0 %) and thoracic kyphosis (48.9 %) were most frequently observed among males. One of the most common postural disorders among females and males was pes planus. The most frequent areas causing pain were back (32.9 %), lower back (22.4 %) and neck (14.3 %) among females, and back (31.4 %), lower back (14.7 %) and right shoulder (11.8 %) among males. We found that the majority of students had high physical activity levels, which we believe may be related to having conducted the study in a private school. In adolescents, it is important to acquire a habit of doing regular physical exercise in order to maintain the favorable effects of physical activity on posture. Prolonged sitting adversely affects the posture.