Correlation between abnormal posture, screen time, physical activity, and suspected scoliosis: a cross-sectional study.

Apr 14, 2025

Experts: Hongxin Chen,Liyang Wu,Yi Zhang,Jinyi Liu,Rui Huang,Jinyang Xie,Zhenfeng Guo,Tao Huang,Cuiling Chen,Kaimin Yang,Yuying Bai,Xuanxuan Huang,Zhuopeng Zhang,Ruike Zhang

Scoliosis considerably affects adolescents’ physical well-being and quality of life. Current research offers scant data concerning the correlation between abnormal posture, screen time, physical activity, and adolescent scoliosis. This study aimed to investigate their potential correlations with suspected scoliosis in teenagers aged 10-13 years.
This is a cross-sectional study. School scoliosis screening was conducted on adolescents aged 10-13 years from nine schools in Guangzhou, China. The survey encompassed demographic attributes, postural traits, and daily lifestyles. Logistic regression analysis was performed to analyze the correlations between various variables and the occurrence of suspected scoliosis.
A total of 1297 questionnaires were distributed, and 1231 (94.9%) valid responses were received. All participants with valid responses underwent scoliosis screening. The overall prevalence of suspected scoliosis was 5.1%, with the highest prevalence observed in 11-year-old students, primarily affecting the thoracic spine. Significant correlations were found between suspected scoliosis and right-sided flatfoot, flat upper back, positive forward bend test (FBT), After-school screen time, weekend outdoor time, and weekend TV time.
The results show a substantial correlation between the incidence of suspected scoliosis and abnormal posture. Moreover, a marked correlation exists between distinct activity patterns, particularly extended usage of electronic devices and television, and the incidence of suspected scoliosis. Screening for abnormal posture and performing the FBT can help detect suspected scoliosis, which requires further clinical assessment to differentiate between postural deviations and scoliosis. We advise middle and primary school kids to modify their daily routines by decreasing sedentary behavior and enhancing physical activity to mitigate the potential occurrence of trunk asymmetries.

© 2025. The Author(s).

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ABOUT THE EXPERTS

Hongxin Chen,Liyang Wu,Yi Zhang,Jinyi Liu,Rui Huang,Jinyang Xie,Zhenfeng Guo,Tao Huang,Cuiling Chen,Kaimin Yang,Yuying Bai,Xuanxuan Huang,Zhuopeng Zhang,Ruike Zhang

Hongxin Chen

Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Key Laboratory of Biological Targeting Diagnosis, Therapy and Rehabilitation of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510700, China.

The Fifth Clinical College, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 511436, China.

Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Guangdong Engineering Technology Research Center of Biological Targeting Diagnosis, Therapy and Rehabilitation, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510700, China.

Liyang Wu

The Fifth Clinical College, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 511436, China.

Yi Zhang

The Fifth Clinical College, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 511436, China.

Jinyi Liu

The Fifth Clinical College, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 511436, China.

Rui Huang

The Fifth Clinical College, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 511436, China.

Jinyang Xie

The Fifth Clinical College, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 511436, China.

Zhenfeng Guo

Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Key Laboratory of Biological Targeting Diagnosis, Therapy and Rehabilitation of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510700, China.

The Fifth Clinical College, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 511436, China.

Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Guangdong Engineering Technology Research Center of Biological Targeting Diagnosis, Therapy and Rehabilitation, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510700, China.

Tao Huang

Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Key Laboratory of Biological Targeting Diagnosis, Therapy and Rehabilitation of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510700, China.

The Fifth Clinical College, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 511436, China.

Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Guangdong Engineering Technology Research Center of Biological Targeting Diagnosis, Therapy and Rehabilitation, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510700, China.

Cuiling Chen

Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Key Laboratory of Biological Targeting Diagnosis, Therapy and Rehabilitation of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510700, China.

The Fifth Clinical College, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 511436, China.

Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Guangdong Engineering Technology Research Center of Biological Targeting Diagnosis, Therapy and Rehabilitation, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510700, China.

Kaimin Yang

The Fifth Clinical College, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 511436, China.

Yuying Bai

The Fifth Clinical College, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 511436, China.

Xuanxuan Huang

The Fifth Clinical College, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 511436, China.

Zhuopeng Zhang

The Fifth Clinical College, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 511436, China. 1906526083@qq.com.

Ruike Zhang

Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Key Laboratory of Biological Targeting Diagnosis, Therapy and Rehabilitation of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510700, China. zhangruike@gzhmu.edu.cn.

The Fifth Clinical College, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 511436, China. zhangruike@gzhmu.edu.cn.

Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Guangdong Engineering Technology Research Center of Biological Targeting Diagnosis, Therapy and Rehabilitation, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510700, China. zhangruike@gzhmu.edu.cn.