Perfil postural de estudantes de escola urbanas e rurais : um estudo comparativo

Abstract

Posture is the capacity of maintaining the arrangement of the corporal structures and it outlines the alignment of the body, as well as its orientation. Objectives: compare the postural profile and perception of public school students from rural and urban áreas and measure the schools' furniture in order to determine if it issui table for the students. Methods: the study consisted of two groups of students: the urban group, with 23 students, and the rural group, with 15 students. The groups received a postural evaluation (through the Postural Evaluation Software – SAPO), and answered questions about their postural habits (through the BackPEI questionnaire). The furniture was measure in both schools. Results: Compared to the urban group, the rural group showed a worse postural profile, especially regarding the variables relayed to the asymmetry of the scapula (left and right) and the base of the skull. There were not any diferences between the groups concerning the postural perception. It was made clear that both groups demonstrate inadequate postural habits, especially sitting posture. In the analysis of the furniture, the study showed a bigger discrepancy between the obtained numbers and the ideal numbers in the rural group than in the urban group. Conclusion: There was a worse postural profile in the students of the rural group compared to the urban group and it suggests that the measurement of the schools' furniture may have contributed for that difference.