Neck movement hindered and posture affected

The findings of the study are an eye-opener and need the immediate attention of the educational authorities.

They are:

The average bag weight of the study group was 6.33 kg. This was 16.57% of the body weight and above the recommendation which is <10% of the body weight.

About 64% of the students had a bag-weight between 10-20% of their body weight, while 20.6% had a bag weight more than 20% of their body weight. Only 15% had a bag weight within the recommended range (<10% of body weight). The average bag-weight was heaviest (7.04 kg) in Grade 6 children (10-11 years), followed by those in Grade 7.

The effects of carrying these bags were:

Pain related to bag carrying was seen in 68% and was as high as 91.8% in Grade 7 children. The pain was mostly around the shoulder region (51.1%).

Most of the other study participants experienced pain around both the neck and shoulder regions. There was a significant positive association between the school bag carrying duration and the occurrence of pain.

Ranges of all the neck movements were significantly reduced when carrying the school bag compared to the normal range for the agegroup. The highest differences in the Ranges of Movement (ROM) were found among Grade 7 children – 10.940, 11.67, 9.730 & 12.40 respectively.

The mean cranio-horizontal angle (CHA) was abnormally increased, while the cranio-vertebral angle (CVA) was abnormally decreased when carrying the school bag. The highest variations in this difference were found in Grade 7 children.

The mean kyphosis index was within the normal range. Kyphosis is an excessive outwards curve of the spine which causes abnormal rounding of the upper back. It is known as ‘roundback’ or in severe form as ‘hunchback’.

But the kypholordotic variations of the spine were determined as normal only in 33.5% of the children. A majority (56.8%) had a lordotic spinal curve (lumbar lordosis>thoracic kyphosis).

As such, the study team has drawn up some significant conclusions –

Carrying backpacks causes musculoskeletal pain and a significant reduction in the range of neck movements.

Carrying heavy backpacks can cause a significant effect in postural angles thus causing increased forward head position and other postural mal-alignments. Poor posture may cause permanent alterations in the spinal curves among schoolchildren.

Changes in alignment of the neck and spine can produce strain of joints in the vertebral column and soft tissues as well as imbalanced muscle performance.