Hábitos posturais domiciliares e dor lombar e cervical entre adolescentes de uma escola pública de ensino médio do Rio de Janeiro

Abstract

The prevalence of low back and neck pain in teenagers is as high as in adults, and when it starts in adolescence, there is an increased risk of developing chronic pain in adulthood. There is a lack of studies investigating how the home postural habits of the teenagers are while in passive activities at home and if such habits are associated with low back and neck pain. Purpose: To investigate the prevalence of low back pain (LBP) and neck pain (NP) and their association with home posture habits watching TV and using a computer in adolescents. Methods: Crosssectional study with public high school adolescents in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Students answered questions regarding sociodemographic variables, lifestyle, posture habits (illustration), time watching TV, time using computer, time playing videogame and the presence of LBP and NP. Multivariate logistic regression was used to investigate the association between home posture habits and LBP and NP. Results: There were 1102 participants. The prevalence of LBP was 46,8% (18,2% chronic low back pain [CLBP] and 28,6% acute low back pain [ALBP]). The prevalence of acute neck pain (ANP) was 32,9%. Slump postures while watching TV and using a desktop computer were associated with CLBP (OR 3,22, 95% CI 1,38 7,5 and OR 1,7, 95% CI 1,06 2,73 respectively). Participants who watched TV seated on a bed yielded an OR of 2,14 (95% CI 1,06 4,32) for ALBP and who used the notebook lying belly down on a bed yielded an odds ratio (OR) of 2,26 (95% CI 1,02 5,01) for ALBP. The ones who watched TV lying supine on a bed for 2 hours or more yielded an odds ratio (OR) of 6,21 (95% CI 1,45 26,52) for ANP. Who frequently changed their positions while using a computer and used it for 2 hours or more yielded an OR of 0,34 (95% CI 0,14 0,85) for ANP. Conclusion: Our findings support the high prevalence of LBP and NP in adolescence and add the association with inappropriate home postural habits.