IJBPAS, August, 2015, 4(8), Special Issue: 373-380 ISSN: 2277–4998 THE COMMON POSITIONAL ABNORMALITIES IN MALE STUDENTS UPPER AND LOWER LIMBS IN ELEMENTARY SCOOLS’ IN URMIA TOHID NEKOUKHAH*1, AMIR FIROUZI2, BEHZAD MAHMOUDIAN3, AFSHIN VALI LOU GEZELBASH4 AND KIYARASH MALEKI5 1Teacher of Physical Education, Khoy, Iran 2ShahidRajaee teacher trainingUniversity, Urmia, Iran 3Teacher of Physical Education, Urmia, Iran 4Department of Physical Education, Aliabad-e katul branch, Imam Khomeini technical faculty, Golestan, Iran 5Department of Physical Education, Jolfa International Branch, Islamic Azad University, Eest Azerbaijan, Iran *Corresponding Author: E Mail: [email protected] ABSTRACT The research suggests that the postural abnormalities are increasing, especially in young people. The spinal cord is known as main part of body and it has crucial and important role. However, any damage and deformation in this part of body will lead to dysfunction in function of body and lower limbs. This study aimed to investigate the common positional abnormalities in male and female students’ upper and lower limbs in elementary schools in Urmia. This was a descriptive-cross sectional study. The population consisted of 1462 male students in elementary schools in Urmia province. After screening the primary schoolchildren in Urmia in terms of physical abnormalities, the suspected students for deformity were selected as sample and were evaluated. The Adam's forward bend Test, mirror box, Caliper, the distance between disks in the knee, the distance between disks in inner ankle of foot, and checkerboard were used for checking scoliosis, checking PesCavus and PesPlanus, measuring Navi bone height, diagnosing Genu Varum, diagnosing Genu Valgum, and checking other abnormalities, 373 IJBPAS, August, 2015, Special Issue, 4(8) Tohid NeKoukhah et al Research Article respectively. All collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics such as frequency and percentage and software Excel 2010. The results showed that 81% of boys had abnormalities and 9% of boys had no abnormalities. In total, the boys had falling shoulder (frequency= 582, 19% of deformities), lumbar lordosis (frequency= 443, 14% of deformities), PesPlanus (frequency= 428, 14% of deformities), and Genu Varum (frequency= 267, 9% of deformities). From 2779 abnormalities, the varus foot and out toeing, pelvic obliquity, and Genu Recurvatum had the lowest prevalence among boys. In general, the male students in elementary schools had more abnormalities in upper limb than lower limb. According to the results, it seems that it is necessary to implement screening tests in all school levels to prevent the occurrence of such abnormalities in adults and the necessary treatments to be conducted. Keywords: Physical Abnormalities, Upper Limbs, Lower Limbs, Male Students INTRODUCTION The good health and normal physical deformation, biomechanical imbalance in the structure are the most important indicators of body, mental health problems, social health in communities which are closely problems, and neuromuscular pains (13). In associated with physical and mental health of case of ignorance, these mechanical defects individuals. The physical status is the relative will be fixed and incurable. So, the quality of arrangement of body parts in relation to each physical status plays an important role in other. In fact, good physical condition is a human life, since any changes in it impacts condition in which the skeletal, muscular, on other aspects of life (9). The human and joint systems act in balance with each skeletal health is constantly threatened by other to minimize the amount of stress on different factors such as lifestyle, occupation, body (2). If this balance is lost for any culture, and environment (7). In addition to reason, the static and dynamic balance of increasing prosperity, the advancement in human stature will be impaired. This is technology and industry has lead to major generally referred to as postural abnormality changes in lifestyle. Today, the replacement (4). These abnormalities have many negative of machines has had negative effects such as consequences such as muscle fatigue, joint motor poverty, lack of exercise, and weight 374 IJBPAS, August, 2015, Special Issue, 4(8) Tohid NeKoukhah et al Research Article gain. In addition to above, the factors such as generalized to other communities. Also, these wrong patterns of sitting, walking, standing, studies were conducted on adolescents and sleeping, and carrying objects, job status, and young adults. The research should be even using inappropriate clothing contribute conducted on children due to more flexibility in developmental and health problems. in their bones, their organs growth, and the Finally, people will lose good physical ability to correct their postural abnormalities. condition and will suffer from physical However, the authorities may use the results abnormalities (13). In this regard, the to provide appropriate scientific and postural defects such as Lordosis, kyphosis, educational programs. Considering the Scoliosis, flat foot, Genus valgum, Genu importance of such research, especially varum, and etc. may be mentioned. among children, this study aims to The contributing factors in skeletal status investigate the prevalence of musculoskeletal changes in children in elementary schools abnormalities in boys in elementary schools mainly include muscle weakness, disease in Urmia province. progression, wrong sitting position in MATERIAS AND METHODS classroom, lack of interest in active play and Methodology exercise, different height of students, and This was a descriptive-cross sectional study. non-standard height of tables and chairs in It aimed to investigate the prevalence of schools (5). musculoskeletal abnormalities in boys in The knowledge of postural status is essential elementary schools in Urmia province. The for every human being. Therefore, a clear population consisted of 1462 male students picture of health status of people in society in elementary schools in Urmia province. should be obtained using various After screening the primary schoolchildren in investigations. Although several studies have Urmia in terms of physical abnormalities, the been conducted in this area such as the suspected students for deformity were studies of Shujahuddin (2004) (14), Rashidi selected as sample and were evaluated. et al (2010) (11), and Ali Abadi et al (2014) Among them, 1171 cases had deformity and (1), it should be noted that considering 291 cases had no deformity. The subjects various factors such as geopolitical, nutrition, referred voluntarily and completed the and genetics issues, the results of other consent form. Then, they were completely studies cannot be certainly and fully checked by corrective actions experts. The 375 IJBPAS, August, 2015, Special Issue, 4(8) Tohid NeKoukhah et al Research Article variables of this study which examined the subjects using baseline (6). The checkerboard upper and lower limbs were 18 different is a framework with dimensions of 200 × 100 deformities including forward head, torticoly, cm which is divided into5 cm grid squares in Scoliosis, falling shoulder, winging scapula, longitudinal and transverse sections. The sway back, flat back, Kyphosis, Lumbar middle line with a different color is Lordosis, Pelvic obliquity, varus foot, out considered as vertical line. toeing,back knee, Genu varum, Genus The mirror box and Navi bone height valgum,flat foot,pescavus and Hallux valgus. measurement was used for checking In this study, the Adam's forward bend Test PesCavus and PesPlanus. The Caliper, the was used for checking scoliosis. It has high distance between disks in the knee, and the sensitivity in evaluating scoliosis and it is an distance between disks in inner ankle of foot accurate and non-invasive method. In this were used for checking Genu Varum and test, the subjects take their clothes off and Genu Valgum, respectively. All collected stand vertically. Then, the examiner stands in data were analyzed using descriptive the back of subjects and checks the balance statistics such as frequency and percentage of shoulders, the balance of shoulder bones, and software Excel 2010. and iliac bones balance on both sides. Any RESULTS AND DISCUSSION asymmetry is seen as disease. Then, the Findings subject leans forward. At this time, the The results showed that from 1462 male examiner checks carefully the salience on students, 81% of boys (n=1171) had back in half of the body. This salience is deformity and 9% (n=291) had no caused by rib hump which is created in abnormalities. scoliosis due to vertebral rotation (12). According to table 1, in total, the boys had Also, the checkerboard was used for falling shoulder (frequency= 582, 19% of evaluating the falling shoulder, sway back, deformities), lumbar lordosis (frequency= flat back, kyphosis, lordosis, Pelvic obliquity, 443, 14% of deformities), PesPlanus varus foot, out toeing, back knee, forward (frequency= 428, 14% of deformities), and head, andtorticoly. In this test, the subjects Genu Varum (frequency= 267, 9% of stand normally in lateral, anterior, and deformities). From 2779 abnormalities, the posterior states behind the checkerboard. At a varus foot (n=7) and out toeing (n=1), pelvic distance of 3 meters, the examiner checks the obliquity (n=12), and Genu Recurvatum 376 IJBPAS, August, 2015, Special Issue, 4(8) Tohid NeKoukhah et al Research Article (n=13) had the lowest prevalence among boys. Table 1: The frequency