Evaluation of body posture in nursing students

The study was developed in two stages. Initially the body posture of students of the 2^nd, 4^th, 6^th, and 8^th periods were assessed through photogrammetry. All images were analyzed in a random and masked manner with CorporisPro® 3.1.3 software. Three evaluations were performed for each angle and then the mean value was calculated. Two years later, when the 4th period students had developed their clinical internships, their body posture was again evaluated.

RESULTS

The total sample consisted of 112 students. Comparison of their posture with the normality pattern showed that all the angles presented significant differences (p< 0.00), except for the angle of the Thales triangle. Reassessment of these students evidenced significant differences in the angles of the acromioclavicular joint (p=0.03), knee flexion (p< 0.00) and in the tibiotarsal angle (p< 0.00).

CONCLUSION

All the students presented alterations when compared to the normality values. The segments that presented significant differences between before and after practice were the acromioclavicular angle, knee flexion, and tibiotarsal angle; the latter two were in the rolling position.

Descriptors
Students, Nursing; Posture, Photogrammetry; Occupational Health.

Plane	Angle	Mean (95% CI) (^o)	Normality (^o)	p value
Frontal Anterior	EC	4.87 (4.86 to 7.20)	0	< 0.00^* * p<0.005.
	AC	6.01 (4.78 to 7.25)	0	< 0.00^* * p<0.005.
	EIAS	2.52 (2.05 to 2.98)	0	< 0.00^* * p<0.005.
	≠ΔTd e ΔTe	0.44 (-0.48 to 1.35)	0	0.34
	AJ	181.12 (180.5 to 181.75)	170	< 0.00
Frontal Posterior	IE	2.42 (1.99 to 2.85)	0	< 0.00^* * p<0.005.
Frontal Posterior	EIPS	2.97 (2.29 to 3.65)	0	< 0.00^* * p<0.005.
Sagittal	BP	5.38 (4.55 to 6.21)	0	< 0.00^* * p<0.005.
	FJ	184.52 (183.27 to 185.78)	180	< 0.00^* * p<0.005.
	ATT	145.71 (136.65 to 154.78)	90	< 0.00^* * p<0.005.
	FJ ROL.	185.72 (184.13 to 187.31)	180	< 0.00^* * p<0.005.
	ATT ROL.	185.72 ± (184.3 to 187.31)	90	< 0.00^* * p<0.005.

Plane	Angle	Before Mean (95% IC)(^o)	After Mean (95% of IC)(^o)	p value
Frontal Anterior	EC¹	3.38 (1.90-4.85)	1.38 (0.86-1.90)	0.06
	AC¹	2.41 (1.48-3.33)	1.33 (0.87-1.79)	0.03*
	EIAS²	1.80 (1.29-2.50)	1.63 (1.09-2.17)	0.58
	≠ΔTd e ΔTe¹	6.77 (3.61-9.92)	5.73 (3.07-8.39)	0.72
	AJ²	179.21 (175.40-182.94)	181.23 (176.88-184.71)	0.45
Frontal Posterior	IE²	2.19 (1.43-2.96)	1.70 (1.25-2.14)	0.32
Frontal Posterior	EIPS¹	1.91 (1.17-2.66)	1.40 (0.90-1.89)	0.18
Sagittal	BP¹	1.55 (0.93-2.18)	1.08 (0.62-1.54)	0.23
	FJ²	183.94 (181.56-186.31)	185.91 (184.57-187.24)	0.12
	ATT¹	120.57 (117.45-123.70)	121.32 (113.20-129.44)	0.34
	FJ ROL.²	175.30 (179.45-187.07)	174.82 (173.81-177.84)	<0.001^* * p<0.005.
	ATT ROL.²	131.49 (129.03-133.95)	126.94 (124.70-129.18)	<0.001^* * p<0.005.
	PC²	49.49 (47.73-51.25)	49.64 (47.51-51.77)	0.80
	LC²	135.71 (132.20-139.21)	134.10 (130.18-138.03)	0.46
	CT²	205.99 (203.22-208.75)	207.15 (203.72-210.57)	0.34
	LL²	157.32 (152.78-161.85)	156.71 (151.50-161.53)	0.82

Universidade de São Paulo, Escola de Enfermagem Av. Dr. Enéas de Carvalho Aguiar, 419 , 05403-000 São Paulo - SP/ Brasil, Tel./Fax: (55 11) 3061-7553, - São Paulo - SP - Brazil
E-mail: reeusp@usp.br

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[1] Corresponding author
: Denise Hollanda Iunes. Av. Jovino Fernandes Sales, 2600 - Santa Clara. CEP 37130-000 - Alfenas, MG, Brazil. deniseiunes@unifal-mg.edu.br