Trunk Asymmetry and Scoliosis Anthropometric Measurements in Prepuberal School Children

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Abstract
A total of 1060 children (515 girls, 545 boys) were examined for screening of trunk asymmetry and scoliosis at an average age of 10.8 years. The physical examination consisted of height, sitting height, total arm length and leg length inequality determinations and moire topography. Trunk asymmetry was measured by forward bending test and a posteroanterior standing radiograph of the spine was taken of those 188 (17.7%) children who had a trunk hump 6 mm. Only 20.1 % of the children were found to be exactly symmetric in the forward bending test, 47.3% had a right-sided hump and 32.6% had a left-sided hump. Humps of 6 mm or more were significantly (p=0.03) more prevalent among girls (21.7%) than boys (16.3%). Moiré fringe asymmetry was proved to be common: only 9% of the material was totally symmetric, two thirds had asymmetry of 1 fringe, 26.6% had asymmetry >1 and 2 and 5.4% >2. The prevalence of scoliosis (trunk hump 6 mm and Cobb angle 3±10) was 4.1%. The majority (72.1%) of the curves were left convex.