Biomechanics of childhood obesity: implications for the musculoskeletal system and role of physical exercise

There is evidence indicating that the presence of overweight/obesity induces alterations in movement biomechanics, body posture and movement competence of children and adolescents, with severe health consequences for their musculoskeletal system. Physical exercise could be a promising treatment to reverse all these alterations in children with overweight/obesity and therefore prevent the onset of associated musculoskeletal disorders, however, there is still a lack of studies supporting it. The present doctoral thesis is framed on the MUBI project. MUBI, 'MUévete BIen' in Spanish and 'Move Well' in English, aims to investigate the effect of an exercise program on movement biomechanics, body posture and motor competence of 70 children between 8 and 12 years old from Granada (Spain), who were identified as having overweight/obesity. This study was accepted and approved by the Ethics Committee in Human Research of the University of Granada (nº 279 / CEIH / 2017). Children who participated in this study were assessed in the University of Granada before and after the exercise program in the following dimensions: 1. Gaits biomechanics: lower limb movement kinematics (3-dimensional photogrammetry) and foot functionality (dynamic plantar pressure) 2. Body posture: global body posture (2-dimensional photogrammetry) and foot posture (static plantar pressure) 3. Movement competence: functional movement quality (Functional Movement Screen tool) 4. Physical fitness: cardiorespiratory fitness, muscular strength and speed-agility 5. Musculoskeletal pain: self-reported pain via questionnaires The exercise programme had a total duration of 13-weeks, starting the 1st of March 2017 and ending the 26th of May 2017, and was run at the Institute for Mixed Sport and Health Sciences (iMUDS) belonging to the University of Granada. For further information about the MUBI project, please refer to our research group website: http://profith.ugr.es/pages/investigacion/proyectos/rationaleexerciseprogram