Epidemiology of Malalignment Head, Neck, Shoulders and Spine in Individuals with Down syndrome

Down syndrome (DS) is the most common chromosomal abnormality no inherited cause of mental retardation. This syndrome is characterized by several clinical signs that include orthopedic، cardio-vascular، nervous-muscular، visual، cognitive، perceptual and motor disorder. The aim of this study epidemiology of malalignment head، neck، shoulders and spine in individuals with Down syndrome. The study involving 30 male subjects with DS (mean age: 14. 86 ± 1. 65 Height: 158. 89 ±10. 1 Weight: 63. 33±13. 9، body mass index: 25. 50 ± 4. 19) and 25 patients with Healthy peers (mean age: 15. 04 ± 2. 13 height: 164. 36 ± 11. 42 weight: 56. 24 ± 12. 01، and body mass index: 3. 58 ± 20. 72) participated in this study. Measurements Kyphosis and lordosis Used flexible ruler 60 cm model KERING the reliability and validity 84 -97present. Flexi curve ruler was used for the assessment of Thoracic kyphosis and lumbar lordosis. Photo of child were examined in sagittal and frontal planes for head and shoulder deviation and Independent t-test was used to compare group and correlation Pearson test was used relation between variables by using SPSS (21 version) software. Statistical analysis revealed significant difference in forward head، forward shoulder angle and dorsal kyphosis between two groups (P=0. 001). However observed the no significant difference in torticollis and lumbar lordosis between two groups (P=0. 406، P=0. 860). Observed the no significant correlation between body mass index with upper-limb alignment in subjects with Down syndrome as well as relationship between BMI and forward head and round shoulders in the individual healthy peers (P=0. 03، P=0. 01، P=0. 03). According the results، recommended the design and implementation of corrective exercise for the prevention and improve the forward head، round shoulders، kyphosis and weight control in this special group of teachers and educators and therapists.