Effects Of Varying Backpack Straps And Weights On Standing Posture Of Secondary School Students

Abstract

Background: There are varying reports on the detrimental effects of heavy backpacks among school children. The determination of the maximum load that can be lifted during school may contribute to the preventive strategies for backpain in adolescents, which has been reported to be an increasing problem.

Objective: This study was designed to determine the response of secondary school students' (SSS) sagittal plane standing posture to variation in backpack weights, using one and two strap(s) backpacks.

Methods: Thirty-eight (38) SSS (22 males and 16 females) with mean age of 15.30±1.80 years and 14.90±0.90 years for males and  females respectively, participated in this study. Participants' upright standing postural response to backpack loads of 7% and 10% body weights, using onestrapped and two-strapped backpacks respectively, was assessed by measuring the craniovertebral angle (CVA) of participants.

Results: There was a significant difference between participants' response (CVA) to postural backpack loads of 7% and 10% body  weights using two straps in both males (t = 0.045) and females (t = 0.0001) respectively. This was also found between onestrapped and two-strapped backpacks for backpacks weighing 10% of the body weight for males (t = 0.0001) and females (t = 0.0001) respectively. There was no significant difference (p>0.05) between the male and female participants.

Conclusion: Two-strapped backpacks of 10% body weight caused a significant shift in CVA in the participants compared to the one- strap backpacks of 7% body weight. A two-strapped backpack weighing less than 10% of the individual's body weight is recommended for secondary school students in Nigeria.

Key Words: Standing Posture, Backpack, Number of Straps, CVA, SSS.