Análise fotogramétrica da postura de estudantes de cursos de graduação da área de saúde

Abstract

Introduction: Postural changes are how the body adapts to a given effort and movement. Healthcare students experience physical overload, reflected in the execution of techniques and high workloads. Tracking postural changes enables interventions. Objectives: To identify postural deviations in healthcare students and analyze the prevalence of postural changes and pain. Methods: This is an observational, quantitative, cross-sectional, and analytical study. Forty volunteers of both sexes were divided into four groups: EG (Nursing, n=10), GN (Nutrition, n=10), GM (Medicine, n=10), and GO (Dentistry, n=10). Photogrammetry was performed following the SAPO (Postural Assessment Software) protocol, which consists of marking specific bony points, positioning the patient in an upright position, and taking photographs in the anterior, lateral, and posterior planes, which presented angular values. The following points were evaluated: horizontal leveling (NH) of the head, shoulder, pelvis, thigh, and leg; vertical alignment (VA) of the head, anterior and posterior spine; pelvic alignment (PA); and spinal curvatures (thoracic – CT, lumbar – CL). Furthermore, they completed a structured questionnaire in two parts: (1) sociodemographic and anthropometric variables; and (2) pain prevalence, assessed using the Standardized Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire – NMQ. Data were subjected to statistical analysis using GraphPad Prism and presented as mean, standard error, and simple percentage. Results: In the NH, the GM and GO groups presented deviations in the head and shoulders, the GE group in the leg, and the NG group in the thigh. In the VA, deviation was identified in the head in the GO group, with a significant difference in relation to the GE group. Regarding spinal curvatures, only the GO group presented lumbar hypolordosis, and the NG group, pelvic retroversion. The prevalence of pain followed the deviation patterns: the GO and GE groups reported more low back and thoracic pain; The NG presented disabling thoracic and lumbar pain; the GM had a lower incidence of pain. Conclusion: Postural changes varied according to the ergonomic demands of each program, being most significant in Dentistry, followed by Nursing and Nutrition. The association between deviations and musculoskeletal pain reinforces the need for specific preventive and educational strategies for each program, aiming to reduce risks and preserve postural health.