The structure of lesions of the musculoskeletal system in adolescent children, considering the somatic pathology and living environment

BACKGROUND: Pathology of the musculoskeletal system ranks first among health disorders of the younger generation. The frequency of posture disorders, scoliosis, and flat feet increases as the child grows older and requires careful monitoring, preventive measures, and long-term rehabilitation measures.

AIM: This investigation studies the formation frequency of lesions of the musculoskeletal system lesions, considering the somatic pathology in adolescent children brought up under various conditions, and addresses the issue of preventive and corrective measures.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: The main group consisted of schoolchildren aged 11–15 from social institutions (n = 60). The comparison group included children from complete families (n = 60). The health assessment was conducted in accordance with the methodological recommendations developed at the Research Institute of Hygiene of Children and Adolescents. The material was copied from forms 112/y, 003/y, 026/y, and the clinical examination results and the conclusions of other specialists were collected. Statistics were evaluated by the Pearson’s χ²-criterion with the Yates correction, with values of p < 0.05.

RESULTS: The health of children from social institutions was significantly worse than that of complete families (p = 0.04). They were 4.8 times more likely to form chronic diseases (p = 0.04), especially those of the central nervous and musculoskeletal systems, digestive organs, blood circulation, and the ear, nose, and throat (ENT) organs were leading (p = 0.001). Lesions of the musculoskeletal system were more often combined (p = 0.02). In the comparison group, functional disorders occurred more often (p = 0.04), and digestive and circulatory organ diseases prevailed. Pathology of the musculoskeletal system occupied the third position and was significantly less common (p = 0.0001).

CONCLUSIONS: The health of children from social institutions is worse than that of schoolchildren from complete families. In them, lesions of the musculoskeletal system occupy second place, the frequency of combined lesions is higher, the increase in orthopedic pathology occurs mainly because of scoliosis, flat feet, and posture disorders. Neurodysplastic and idiopathic forms prevail in the structure of scoliosis. In children with scoliosis, diseases of the central nervous system, digestive organs, and blood circulation are more often registered. In children with flat feet, lesions of the digestive and circulatory organs are more often diagnosed. In children with impaired posture, diseases of ENT organs, circulatory organs, and vision are more often detected. Therefore, the musculoskeletal system pathology must be considered as an interdisciplinary problem, requiring a comprehensive rehabilitation program that involves other specialists.