Characteristics of physical qualities and vegetative regulation in adolescents with postural disorders

Objective. To characterize the physical qualities and autonomic regulation in adolescents with postural disorders.

Material and methods. 124 teenagers aged 16-17 including 58 boys and 66 girls were examined. There were 2 groups of patients: with postural disorders in the sagittal (n = 57) and frontal plane (n = 67). The examination program included an assessment of physical development, somatotype, general endurance and static endurance of the large muscles of the back and trunk, autonomic regulation by analyzing heart rate variability, levels of personal and situational anxiety, as well as self-esteem.

Results. Adolescents with impaired posture in the sagittal plane are characterized by the predominance of the asthenoid somatotype, a high frequency of body weight deficiency, a decrease in overall endurance, as well as endurance of the back and abdominal muscles, and a predominance of the activity of the parasympathetic autonomic nervous system. In this category of patients, the thoracic and muscular types of physique predominate in the frontal plane of postural disorders, and there is a significant asymmetry in the static endurance of the lateral muscles of the trunk, and an increase in the functional activity of the sympathetic autonomic nervous system. In both of these variants of postural disorders in adolescents, there is a high frequency of undifferentiated connective tissue dysplasia, sympathetic hyperreactivity, personal and situational anxiety, and a decrease in self-esteem.

Conclusions. Features of physical qualities, vegetative regulation and psychological sphere should be taken into account when developing differentiated programs for correcting posture in adolescents, depending on the plane of its violation.