Author(s)

Silvia Maria Amado João, Maira Nomura Nishizaki, Cynthia Hitomi Yamamoto, Vera Lúcia Perino Barbosa, Juliana Ferreira Sauer

hysical Therapy Course of the School of Medicine, Department of Physical Therapy, Speech and Occupational Therapy, University of S?o Paulo, S?o Paulo, Brazil.
Movere Institute for Obese Children, S?o Paulo, Brazil.
Physical Therapy Course of the School of Medicine, Department of Physical Therapy, Speech and Occupational Therapy, University of S?o Paulo, S?o Paulo, Brazil.

The aim of this study was to characterize the obesity effect on children knee and hip joint range of motion. A randomized controlled trial was performed with goniometry evaluation for hip flexion, extension, abduction, adduction, external and internal rotation, and knee flexion in fifty male children (20 obese and 30 non obese), with age ranging from 6 to 12 years old. The obesity effect was found to be non-uniform across the joint range of motion. In the obesity group, a statistically significant reduction in the range of motion of hip flexion and adduction, and knee flexion was observed; and also an increase in external rotation in the hip was observed. Conclusion: Obese and overweight children present alterations in hip and knee joints mobility when compared to eutrophic children. The obesity/overweight associated with factors previously described in the literature, such as joint overload, postural deviation and sedentariness may influence the musculoskeletal development and, consequently, the motor function.

Obesity, Children, Body Joint Motion, Range of Motion

Maria Amado João, S. , Nomura Nishizaki, M. , Hitomi Yamamoto, C. , Lúcia Perino Barbosa, V. and Ferreira Sauer, J. (2014) Obesity Effect on Children Hip and Knee Range of Motion. International Journal of Clinical Medicine, 5, 490-497. doi: 10.4236/ijcm.2014.59068.