[Epidemiology of kyphosis in school children]

At five schools in the city of Bochum a serial study was carried out with regard to pathological posture of the spine. In total 2075 pupils from 10 to 17 years of age were examined and the degree of kyphosis was determined using Debrunner's kyphometer. An angle of 40 degrees or more was supposed to be a pathological kyphosis. The rate of this kyphosis was 12 p.c. in girls and 15.3 in boys. The children with pathological curvature were compared with a group of children inconspicuous with regard to posture and selected by random. The two groups were questioned using a halfstandardized questionnaire. This was designed to obtain details of general circumstances of life, attitude in sports and medical history either in orthopedics and diseases in the family. Thereby was seen that children with pathological kyphosis practised less sports and had more orthopedic diseases, and also in their families more orthopedic problems and back pain occurred.