Frequency of Neck, Shoulder and Back pain due to Heavy Backpacks among Private School Children of Islamabad: A Descriptive Survey

Abstract

School going children carry heavy back pack on daily basis. Heavy backpack can place extra pressure on shoulder, neck and back that can lead to pain in these regions of body. Objective: To explore the occurrence of neck, shoulder and back pain in school going children because of carrying heavy bag. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive survey was conducted amongst school children of Islamabad from April 2023 to July 2023. A total of 274 school going children from various private schools of Islamabad region were the part of this study. School going children aging from 10 to 17 years of age of either gender with no history of musculoskeletal problems were included in the study. Data collection questionnaire incorporated standard Nordic Musculoskeletal disorder tool. Data were analyzed on SPSS version 25.0. Results: Children who carry back pack weight more than 10% showed more musculoskeletal symptoms in neck, shoulder and back. Results showed that frequency of musculoskeletal symptoms such as back pain was 171 (62.4%) and 97 (35.4%) students out of 100 who claimed no pain in back due to heavy backpack. In addition, the frequency of neck pain was 184 (67.2%) and 84 (30.7%) students who responded no neck pain due to heavy backpack. The frequency of shoulder pain was 86 (31.3%). Conclusions: Students with heavy back pack are more prone to develop musculoskeletal disorders including neck, shoulder and back pain.