[Can an insufficient posture of children and adolescents be verified instrumentally?]. / Ist die Haltungsschwäche von Kindern und Jugendlichen instrumentell verifizierbar?

UNLABELLED: 144 children aged 6 to 17 years were examined with the Lasar-Posture device which raises a perpendicular through the centre of gravity. To make an indirect postural examination possible and to classify posture, the courses of the gravity perpendicular, the shoulder centre, the greater trochanter femoris and the lateral ankle and their change during the Matthiass' test were determined. Additionally, spinal alignment, spine flexibility and the sufficiency of posture were assessed. RESULTS: The ability to achieve a sufficient posture correlated with age (p = 0,0004). The spinal alignment itself did not differ in the age groups but the hollow-round back showed a decreased ability to attain a sufficient posture (p < 0.0001). The spine flexibility measured with the Ott's test decreased with age (p = 0.0001). In relation to the gravity perpendicular, the shoulder centre moved forward with increasing postural insufficiency (p = 0.0379). The course of the gravity perpendicular did not differ in the different types of spinal alignment but was always found in front of the lateral ankle. The greater trochanter of the children with a II degrees insufficiency at the beginning (p = 0.03/0.01) and end (p = 0.2/0.05) of the Matthiass' test was always in front of the gravity perpendicular in contrast to the other children. As expected, the shoulder centre was always behind the gravity perpendicular. It was found to be more ventral in healthy children than in those with a postural insufficiency (p = 0.01/0.004/0.005). CONCLUSION: Overall, a high rate of children with postural insufficiency was found. It is impossible to determine or classify them with the Lasar-Posture device. The future aim should be to develop a measuring technique that allows a standardised definition of posture and age related developmental variants.

[Relationship of an increased internal rotation of the hip with pelvic tilt, spinal alignment and posture - does the so-called antetorsion syndrome exist?]. / Zusammenhang der vermehrten Innenrotation im Hüftgelenk mit einer verminderten Beckenaufrichtbarkeit, der Rückenform und Haltung bei Kindern - Gibt es das so genannte Antetorsionssyndrom?

AIM: A cross-sectional study of pupils should show a possible relation between hip movement, posture and spinal alignment. METHODS: 143 children aged 6 to 17 years were clinically examined with particular respect to internal rotation and extension of the hip, spinal alignment and posture to determine if the so-called antetorsion syndrome exists in children as a remnant of the uprising of man. RESULTS: Internal hip rotation decreased with age without any difference regarding the age between children with and without hip contracture. Children with hip flexion deformity had a significantly higher ability for internal hip rotation (p = 0.0471), but both hip extension and internal rotation were not related to spinal alignment (p = 0.5585/0.5612). On the other hand a normal posture is related with a "normal" back and age (p = 0.0004). The spinal alignment itself did not differ in the age groups. 30 % of the children with sufficient posture and 38 % of the ones with insufficient posture had a hip contracture. The latter showed an increased internal hip rotation by 12 degrees (p = 0.0079). CONCLUSION: On the basis of these results, a relationship between muscular performance, neuromuscular maturity, decreased hip extension and increased internal hip rotation can be assumed. This so-called antetorsion syndrome exists in 20 % of the examined children. A relation to the spinal alignment especially the hollow-round back, cannot be found.