Effects of sternum-focused postural adjustment on standing posture, center of pressure, and gaze height in high school students

This study aimed to investigate the effects of postural adjustment focusing on the sternum on standing posture, center of pressure (COP), and gaze height.A total of 105 high school students participated in the study.Two conditions were compared: habitual standing and standing with postural adjustment focusing on the sternum.Posture was assessed by calculating trunk angles using reflective markers placed on the seventh cervical vertebra (C7), tenth thoracic vertebra (T10), and posterior superior iliac spine (PSIS).COP was measured using a force plate, and the following parameters were analyzed: envelope area, total path length, unit path length, and mean anteroposterior position.Gaze height was measured using a head-mounted eyetracking device.Statistical analysis was performed using a two-way mixed-design analysis of variance (ANOVA), with the significance level set at p < 0.05.Significant main effects of condition and sex were observed for posture.For COP, significant main effects of condition were found for envelope area, total path length, and unit path length, while significant main effects of sex were observed for these parameters as well as the mean anteroposterior position.In addition, a significant interaction between condition and sex was observed for envelope area.For gaze height, a significant main effect of condition was found.These findings suggest that postural adjustment focusing on the sternum may improve kyphotic posture, reduce postural sway, and increase gaze height. 早期公開