Reference values for characterizing the posture of schoolchildren using photogrammetry

Abstract Introduction Few studies describe growth-related pos-tural adaptations up to adolescence, possibly due to the lack of reference values for this population. Objective To establish reference values for static postural assess-ment using photogrammetry in the sagittal plane for healthy children and adolescents, focusing on the head, shoulder, spine, pelvis, and knee segments. Methods A total of 492 schoolchildren from Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil, of both sexes and aged 7 to 17 years, were assessed through anamnesis and static postural evalua-tion. Photographs were analyzed using DIPA© software, which provided postural variables (in degrees): head posture, shoulder posture, and cervical, thoracic, and lum-bar curvature angles, and pelvic and knee alignment. Descriptive statistics and factorial ANOVA for indepen-dent multivariable analysis were performed. Results Biological maturation level did not influence any of the postural variables. Reference values for head posture and cervical spine angle were 43.7º – 56.6º and 30.8º – 50.6º, respectively, across all age groups. The remaining postural variables were affected differently depending on sex and age group. Conclusion This study provides reference values for sagittal plane posture in children and adolescents, based on means and standard devia-tions (corresponding to the 15th and 85th percentiles) of postural variables, which may support future assess-ments using photogrammetry in this population.