Abstract
The aim of the paper was to determine a correlation between the weight of a child's backpack, their body weight, and certain features of their body posture. Material and Methods. The study group consisted of 109 children, all aged seven years. The parameters of body posture were determined using the Zebris Ultrasonic System. Results. The number of children carrying a school backpack in accordance with recommendations was 44 subjects (40.37%). Statistically significant changes were found in the total length of the spine (Z = 2.223, p = 0.026) and between backpack weight and changes in the following parameters: the total length of the spine (r s = −0.3999, p = 0.017), the length and the angle of the lumbar lordosis (r s = −0.3352, p = 0.049), the angle of the lumbar lordosis (r s = −0.5065, p = 0.002), and the sacral angle (r s = −0.4279, p = 0.010). Conclusions. Wearing a backpack heavier than 10% of one's body weight can cause shallowing of the lumbar lordosis and a tendency towards a vertical position of the sacrum. Monitoring the weight of children's school backpacks and enabling them to leave books and notebooks at school would probably be beneficial in reducing the daily burden put on children's spines.
Highlights
The problem of bad posture in children and adolescents is still a current issue, frequently addressed in scientific publications [1,2,3,4]
The number of children carrying school backpacks in accordance with recommendations was 44 subjects (40.37%)
The weight analysis of the school backpacks and their relation to the body weight of the children showed that the weight of the carried load often exceeded the 10% recommended in the literature
Summary
The problem of bad posture in children and adolescents is still a current issue, frequently addressed in scientific publications [1,2,3,4]. When the child begins to attend school, their time spent in a sitting position is extended, which can result in disorders of posturogenesis This period is called “the first critical period of posturogenesis.”. Children at this age are exposed to a number of factors that predispose them to the occurrence of bad posture. One of these factors is carrying a backpack that is too heavy for them. The pain associated with carrying a backpack is referred to as “backpack syndrome.” This syndrome includes the following factors: abnormal body posture causing headaches, fatigue, and cervical and lumbar pain [11, 12] The pain associated with carrying a backpack is referred to as “backpack syndrome.” This syndrome includes the following factors: abnormal body posture causing headaches, fatigue, and cervical and lumbar pain [11, 12]
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