Doha - A survey conducted recently by the physiotherapy section of the Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) among school students has found that a large number of students, especially girls are prone to scoliosis, a spinal disorder being caused by unhealthy sitting postures, heavy schoolbags and the wrong way of carrying them.
The survey was part of a series of activities being held as part of the Physiotherapy Week of HMC which began yesterday. The week themed Physiotherapy and Your Health focuses on creating public awareness on a healthy life style that could prevent diseases like scoliosis, osteoporosis (a disease causing brittle bones), back pain and knee pain.
Posture tests will be conducted for students over the coming three days to detect the presence of scoliosis.
Noor Al Sulaithi, who is in charge of the screening told The Peninsula yesterday that the survey was prompted by a high number of scoliosis cases among students reported at the physiotherapy section last year. "We had 46 corrective scoliosis cases last year, all involving girls who had undergone surgery. This was alarming and reflected a serious lack of awareness since scoliosis can be prevented and treated effectively before reaching the surgery level," Noora said.
Of the 110 girls tested under the survey, two scoliosis cases were detected and 25 to 28 students were found with uneven shoulders- one shoulder higher than the other. The survey focused on girls aged 9 to 13 years since they are more prone to scoliosis, that causes curve in the spine, she added.
However, boys are also included in the posture tests being conducted as part of the week. A total of 25 to 30 students from three schools will be screened, she said. "It is not just the heavy load of schoolbags but the way students carry them could cause problems. Even if the bag is not too heavy, if a child carries it continuously on one and the same shoulder, it could lead to uneven shoulders. Unhealthy sitting posture is another major factor that leads to scoliosis," Noora said.
A major problem with this disease is that the symptoms appear only when the person grows up. In the absence of proper awareness, children as well as their parents tend to ignore preventive steps, she noted.
Speaking at the inaugural function, Lulua Al Mohannadi, head of physiotherapy section briefed on the services and activities of the department and explained the objectives of the week. The section has prepared 16 brochures and pamphlets titled such as Knee Care, Back Pain, Healthy Computing, Economy Class Syndrome, Diabetes and Exercise.
The week has given special focus on knee pain and back pain. Lectures on how to prevent osteoporosis and scoliosis among school students will be held at Rumailah Hospital over the three days beginning today. The lectures will be followed by posture tests for students.
A lecture for mothers on "how you can test the good posture for your children" will take place at Ibn Nafis Hall of the Women's Hospital on Thursday at 10am. A public lecture for computer users will be held at the same venue at 11am.
The speaker will give tips on how to position a computer and arrange the seating in a health point of view. Similar lectures are also planned exclusively for HMC staff on Wednesday and Thursday. The week's events will conclude on May 30 with a symposium titled "together along the road of recovery" to be held at the Ibn Nafis Hall from 8am to 3pm.
© The Peninsula 2005
