The prevalence of spinal postural deficiencies among middle school students

Proper posture contributes to increased self-confidence and supports the development of social relationships through a heightened awareness of one’s body. These aspects are increasingly relevant in the context of face-to-face interactions. As part of this study, we conducted anamnesis and carried out physical evaluations -including anthropometric and somatometric assessments - in collaboration with the medical staff of participating schools. For the somatoscopic analysis, we used the Global Postural System 400 (GPS) to identify two-dimensional spinal deficiencies related to static posture, body dynamics, and balance. For about a quarter of the subjects evaluated (24.8%) no spinal deficiencies were identified. For the remainder (75.2%), lordosis is the most common spinal deformity, followed by kyphosis and scoliosis. The chi-square value of 12.496 with 3 degrees of freedom (df) and a significance level of p = 0.006 indicates a statistically significant difference between the distribution of spinal deficiencies and gender. The Cramér’s V value of 0.333 suggests a moderate association between gender and the type of spinal deficiency. The distribution of body weight categories based on BMI shows that 64.6% of participants fall within the normal weight range, which is a positive outcome for the majority. These findings highlight the importance of cultivating healthy habits - such as regular physical activity, balanced nutrition, and intentional breaks during extended use of digital devices - as essential strategies for supporting the physical and mental well-being of middle school students.