A Study on the Prevalence of Multiple Postural Deformities among the School Children

Abstract

Objectives

The Present study was designed with the two fold objectives. The first objective was to find out the status of multiple/paired postural deformities among the children. Secondary objective was to find out the impact of multiple deformities on different genders in different regions of Himachal Pradesh.

Methodology

Samples were twelve hundred school children studying in different regions (Greater, Inner and Outer) of Himachal Pradesh. The age of the children were ranging from 11-15 years. The selected paired deformities were Kyphosis-knock knee, kyphosis-bow legs, kyphosis-flatfoot, Knock knee- flat foot and bow leg-flat foot. The data was analysed by employing descriptive statistical tool.

Results and findings

Results of the study revealed that fifty five (55.08) percent of school children in Himachal Pradesh were having paired postural deformities. It was also found that the Greater Himalayan (54.64%) region was the most affected region followed by Inner (48.25%) and Outer Himalayan (20.83%) region. On further analysis, it was found that the combination of kyphosis and knock knee i.e. kypho-knock knee was most prevalent in Inner (13.75%) Himalayan region than the other two regions of Himachal Pradesh. Regarding this pair of deformity, male children showed the maximum number (8.38%) of percentage in comparison to females. Data was further analysed to see the pairing of kyphosis and flatfoot, the results revealed that outer (15.21) Himalayan region was most affected and the majority of the prevalent cases were in males (12.59) than the female children. The next analysis showed that kypho-bow legs pair of multiple deformity were more prevalent in Outer Himalayan regions (14.71) and males (16) were found to be on higher side of numbers than their counterparts. Results of the study also showed that the cases knock knee-flat foot among male and female children in different regions of Himachal Pradesh is more or less same or with a marginal difference, thereby we can say that this pairing of deformity has equally affected the children irrespective of their gender and regions they belong. The last pairing was of bow leg-flat foot for which the results showed that the number incidences were quite higher in outer Himalayan (22.94%) region than the other. Male children (19.26) were found more deformed for this combination of deformity in comparison to females.

Conclusion

On the basis of analysis of data and results found, it can be concluded that the multiple postural deformities were highly prevalent among school children of Himalayan region. Bow leg-flatfoot was found to be the most affecting paired deformity among the children of Himachal Pradesh.