Spinal mobility: the pattern in a population of children between 5–16 years old, in Bogotá Colombia

Background

Shobert test is a useful tool for evaluation of spinal mobility. Normative values of spinal mobility have not been established for Latin-American children.

Objective

To define the ranges of normal anterior spinal flexion in children between 5–16 years old in a Colombian population

Methods

502 were stratified by sex and age in Ciudadela Colsubsidio School in Bogotá, to evaluate anterior spinal flexion by shobert test. Measurements were repeated three times by child, mean was calculated for analysis. Children with spinal and chronic diseases were excluded. Means and standard deviations for shobert test were calculated for each group. ANOVA with sex and age as between-subject factors was used to examine mean differences across de spinal mobility measures

Results

Shobert test mean was 6.3 cm and 6.5 cm for girls and boys respectively. No significant statistical differences were found between ages (5–16 y). Analysis by gender showed a significant statistical differences only in the seven years old group (p = 0.01).

Conclusion

Anterior spinal flexion mean by shobert test was similar across the twelve groups studied; the differences found in the 7 years old group is not considered to have a clinical significance. There's no need of normality charts by age and sex for this population. Anterior spinal flexion mean was lower in this population than in other population studied.