Anatomical Profile and Postural Changes in Young Athletes Practicing Individual Sports: What Segments Pattern?

The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between anatomical profiles and postural deviations in young athletes participating in individual sports.The sample comprised 183 athletes aged 11 to 19 years, stratified by sex, all of whom engaged in training routines consisting of five sessions per week, each lasting between 90 and 120 minutes.Postural assessment was conducted using four standardized photographs (anterior, right lateral, posterior, and left lateral views), evaluating the following body segments: eyes, shoulders, spinal column, hips, knees, and feet.Digital photogrammetry was employed, with horizontal and vertical reference lines to aid in the analysis.Statistical procedures included the Shapiro-Wilk test, Levene's test, MANOVA, Bonferroni post hoc test, and Chi-square (χ²) test.Results, expressed as percentage frequencies, indicated that the most prevalent postural alterations were right-eye dominance (≥ 71.0%), forward head posture (≥ 78.0%), pelvic tilt (≥ 70.0%), and knee hyperextension (≥ 91.0%).Among females, significant asymmetries were observed in the shoulders (≥ 86.7%), spinal column (≥ 76.0%), and feet (≥ 64.0%).It is concluded that there is a significant association between anatomical profiles and postural deviations in young athletes, with clinically relevant and pronounced findings, underscoring the need for targeted musculoskeletal rebalancing strategies.