Incidence analysis of axial and lower extremity deviations based on the physical characteristics between domestic and foreign college students

This research was performed to identify the incidence and to determine the effects of risk factors of axial and lower extremity deformities. One hundred forty-seven domestic college students (102 males and 45 females) and 72 foreign students (33 males and 39 females) were subjects in this study. Data collecting was performed by questionnaire and visual postural evaluation. For backpack shoulder dominance, higher incidences of genu varus (P=0.043) and lower incidence of leg length discrepancy (LLD) (P=0.001) were found in both shoulder carrier, while the incidence of lordosis was higher in left (P=0.001) and both (P=0.012) carrier in domestic students. The incidence of genu varus (P=0.022) and scoliosis (P=0.002) were significantly lower in both shoulder carrier in foreign students. For dominant arm, the incidence of forward head (P=0.001) and of lordosis (P=0.029) were significantly higher in left handedness both in domestic students and in foreign students. As the body mass index increases, the incidence of protruding abdomen (P=0.001) and lordosis (P=0.009) showed significant increase, but, the incidence of kyphosis (P=0.022) and scoliosis (P=0.001) decreased in domestic students, and same tendency for lordosis (P=0.001) and for scoliosis (P=0.001) in foreign students. As a whole, in domestic students, female students revealed significantly high (P=0.004) incidence of genu recurvatum compared to significantly low (P=0.022) incidence of LLD. However, no significant incidence difference found in foreign students. Male students showed significantly low incidence (P=0.001) of LLD and high incidence (P=0.014) of lordosis. In foreign students, female students also showed significantly low incidence (P=0.032) of LLD in foreign students compared to their counterparts.