Effect of backpack loading on cervical and shoulder posture in indian school children Mayank Mohan1,*, Post Graduate Student (osteomyology), Singh Upender2, Quddus Nishat3 1Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi. 2MPT (osteomyology), PT, Trinity Health Care Group Florence, SC 29501, U.S.A. 3MPT (osteomyology), Lecturer Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi. *Reprint request: B.P.T, M.P.T. (Osteomyology), MIAP A-57, Vikas Puri, New Delhi-110018. Tel. No. 011-2556354, 9213744445, E-mail: mayank_physio@yahoo.co.in
Abstract Study Design An experimental study with same subject design, examining the effects of backpack loading on adolescent posture. Aims & Objective To investigate the response of cervical and shoulder posture to backpack load. The aims of this study were to determine whether the weight of backpack or time carried affected the adolescents cervical and shoulder posture. Summary of Background data The majority of children use a backpack to transport their belonging to and from school on a daily basis; however, controversy exists over the safety of backpack use. There is widely held belief that repeated carrying of loads, such as school backpacks, places additional stress on rapidly growing adolescent spinal structures, making them prone to postural change. Methods A total of 60 school children aged 10–15 years randomly selected from CBSE affiliated school in Delhi, participated in this study. Each child's body weight, height, and school bag weight were measured. Standing posture measured from the sagittal plane and recorded photographically under 3 loading conditions, 1) without bag 0% bodyweight, 2) static loading 10% BW, 3) after dynamic activities 10% BW. Data Analysis Comparison of postural angles after dynamic activities is done with static loading with 10% body weight and with 0% body weight. The significance of changes in data was estimated using repeated measure analysis of variance on each angle with which planned contrast were made of the unloaded condition with each of two other loaded condition. Statistical test were considered significant if p=0.05. Results A significant change in craniovertebral angle was found in 2 loading conditions, static loading (10% BW) and dynamic loading (10% BW) when comparing standing posture with no backpack. Results revealed that both backpack weight and time carried influenced cervical and shoulder posture. Conclusion Carrying a backpack weighing 10% of body weight appeared to be too heavy to maintain standing posture for adolescents. These findings have implications for future load carrying studies in adolescents. Top Key words Load carriage, backpacks, posture, children. Top |