INTRODUCTION: The posture is determined by the performance of the visual, somatosensory and vestibular systems, located in the inner ear. Children with sensorineural hearing loss can present problems in the postural control regulation, favoring the appearance of deviation and postural changes in the spine, caused possibly by the hipoactivity of vestibular system due to inner ear injury. OBJECTIVES: To identify and compare the distribution of postural changes in the spine in deaf and hearing students in age-group from 7 to 17 years old. MATERIALS ANS METHODS: This cross-sectional study analyzed the spine posture of 44 sensorineural hearing loss and 44 hearing students of both genders. The study was developed through a posture evaluation with the usage of a squared, according criteria proposed by Kendall et al. RESULTS: It was observed a major occurrence of postural changes in deaf students, when compared to the hearing (deaf: 100%; hearing: 84.1%), p = 0.012. In both groups, the scoliosis was the most observed postural change (deaf: 84.1%; hearing: 59.1 %), p = 0.009, followed by thoracic hyperkyphosis (deaf: 68.2%; hearing 45.5%), p = 0.031. CONCLUSION: Deaf students are even more likely to develop postural changes in the spine when compared to hearing students. This condition can be related with the attack of the vestibular system as a result of inner ear injury, bad postural habits in daily activities and unfavorable ergonomics of school environment.
Spine; Physical therapy; Sensorineural hearing loss; Posture; Deafness
