[Hiperlaxity ligamentous (Beighton test) in the 8 to 12 years of age school population in the province of Granada]

Abstract

The Beighton test is the most commonly used tool for detecting ligamentous hiperlaxity, characterized by excessive joint mobility. This descriptive-transversal study examines a sample of 2956 children (49,9% boys and 50,1% girls), from eight to twelve years of age, living in the province of Granada, The study aims to show the incidence level of hiperlaxity among the school-aged population, while establishing its frequency in relation to gender and age, and determining the area with the highest number of cases within the province of Granada. The Beighton test was used for data collection. The sample showed that 25, 4% of individuals got a positive Beighton result (laxity), and girls had a higher incidence level (62,1%) than boys. The results show as well a similar level of incidence among boys and girls between eight and ten years of age; however, the incidence decreases among younger children (under 8 years). Regarding the geographical areas, the distribution is quite heterogeneous, but we were able to highlight the difference between a result of 50% in Area 4 and 12% in Area 2, due to genetic and racial factors. In conclusion, the results obtained through this study show a lower hiperlaxity incidence compared to the results found in the American continent and they are slightly higher than those from other European and African countries.