More and more school children are recommended to not carry a backpack and instead pulling them on trolleys in a hope to avoid long term spinal problems.
Here’s a 2010 study in Germany which included thirty-four school children between 6 and 8 years of age comparing the children’s posture while carrying backpacks vs. while pulling them on trolleys.
The results? While both groups had asymmetric postures when carrying a backpack or when pulling a trolley, the trolley group, however, had extra stress due to spinal rotation.
The results suggest that carrying a backpack may be better than pulling a trolley when the weight is within recommended limits.
Comparison of the Posture of School Children
FROM: Clinical Chiropractic 2010 (Dec); 13 (4): 253–260
Johanna Schmidt, Sharon Docherty
It’s well understood that heavy backpacks are taking a heavy toll (excuse the pun!) on adolescent spines. A recent standing magnetic resonance imaging study by the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of California, at San Diego revealed that: “Increasing backpack loads significantly compressed lumbar disc heights measured in the midline sagittal plane” and that: “student subjects reported significant increases in back pain, associated with increasing backpack loads from 4, to 8, and finally to 12 kgs of carried weight”.
This most recent novel study (see below) was performed with German primary school children. [2] Researchers wanted to determine whether giving the children rolling luggage, to carry their school books, might reduce spinal stress. As it turns out, what might work well for Mom at the airport does not work so well for Junior, lugging his books across uneven sidewalks, all the way to school. The authors had to conclude that: “This suggests that school children should use backpacks rather than trolleys when the weight is within recommended limits”.
The Abstract:
Objective To investigate whether there is a difference in the posture of school children walking with a backpack versus pulling a trolley.
Design Comparative, controlled, pilot trial.
Setting “Grundschule Fallersleben” – primary school in Germany.
Subjects Thirty-four school children between 6 and 8 years of age.
Methods Initially, neutral posture was measured in a standing position. All children were then asked to walk a predetermined route without intervention for approximately 7 min. This was followed by walking the same route with either a backpack (n = 19) or trolley (n = 15). Deviations from neutral of the thoracic and lumbar spine (flexion, extension, lateral flexion and rotation) from the final 30 s of the imaging sequences were taken and analysed.
Results Compared to unburdened walking, walking with a backpack led to a statistically significant (p = 0.05) increase in thoracic extension (3.91°, 95% CI = 3.35–4.46) and right lumbar lateral flexion (2.29°, 95% CI = -3.41 to -1.18), and a statistically significant decrease of lumbar flexion (2.2°, 95% CI = 0.34–4.06). In contrast, walking with a trolley increased extension (1.4°, 95% CI = 0.72–2.08), right lateral flexion (1.24°, 95% CI = -1.91 to -0.57) and right rotation (3.09°, 95% CI = -3.85 to -2.32) of the thoracic spine, and led to a statistically significant increase in left rotation (3.57°, 95% CI = 2.58–4.55) of the lumbar spine. Comparing the backpack and trolley groups showed a statistically significant (p = 0.05) increase in thoracic extension and right lumbar lateral flexion in the backpack group. Posture during trolley pulling was characterized by a statistically significant (p = 0.05) increase in right thoracic and left lumbar rotation.
Conclusion Participants adopted asymmetric postures during walking with a backpack and pulling a trolley. However, the trolley group was characterised by spinal rotation which possibly adds an extra source of stress. This suggests that school children should use backpacks rather than trolleys when the weight is within recommended limits.
Dr. Dao Tran and Dr. Quan Tran graduated from Cleveland Chiropractic College of Los Angeles. Together, they have over 18 years of combined experience providing Chiropractic treatment for the injured and Lifestyle Chiropractic care to help their patients achieve optimum health and maintain peak performance. They have two Chiropractic offices in Southern California - Orange County-Fountain Valley and South Bay-Lawndale.
Call to make an appointment with Dr. Tran today!
California Pain Center
9475 Heil Ave., Suite D
Fountain Valley, CA 92708
(714) 775-7700
South Bay Pain and Rehab Center
14921 Prairie Ave., Ste. 2,
Lawndale, CA 90260
(310) 263-7246
If you have any questions or concerns feel free to contact us through our website: Contact us and you can Follow us on Twitter and also Become a FAN on Facebook.
Here’s a 2010 study in Germany which included thirty-four school children between 6 and 8 years of age comparing the children’s posture while carrying backpacks vs. while pulling them on trolleys.
The results? While both groups had asymmetric postures when carrying a backpack or when pulling a trolley, the trolley group, however, had extra stress due to spinal rotation.
The results suggest that carrying a backpack may be better than pulling a trolley when the weight is within recommended limits.
Comparison of the Posture of School Children
Carrying Backpacks Versus Pulling Them on Trolleys
FROM: Clinical Chiropractic 2010 (Dec); 13 (4): 253–260Johanna Schmidt, Sharon Docherty
It’s well understood that heavy backpacks are taking a heavy toll (excuse the pun!) on adolescent spines. A recent standing magnetic resonance imaging study by the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of California, at San Diego revealed that: “Increasing backpack loads significantly compressed lumbar disc heights measured in the midline sagittal plane” and that: “student subjects reported significant increases in back pain, associated with increasing backpack loads from 4, to 8, and finally to 12 kgs of carried weight”.
This most recent novel study (see below) was performed with German primary school children. [2] Researchers wanted to determine whether giving the children rolling luggage, to carry their school books, might reduce spinal stress. As it turns out, what might work well for Mom at the airport does not work so well for Junior, lugging his books across uneven sidewalks, all the way to school. The authors had to conclude that: “This suggests that school children should use backpacks rather than trolleys when the weight is within recommended limits”.
The Abstract:
Objective To investigate whether there is a difference in the posture of school children walking with a backpack versus pulling a trolley.
Design Comparative, controlled, pilot trial.
Setting “Grundschule Fallersleben” – primary school in Germany.
Subjects Thirty-four school children between 6 and 8 years of age.
Methods Initially, neutral posture was measured in a standing position. All children were then asked to walk a predetermined route without intervention for approximately 7 min. This was followed by walking the same route with either a backpack (n = 19) or trolley (n = 15). Deviations from neutral of the thoracic and lumbar spine (flexion, extension, lateral flexion and rotation) from the final 30 s of the imaging sequences were taken and analysed.
Results Compared to unburdened walking, walking with a backpack led to a statistically significant (p = 0.05) increase in thoracic extension (3.91°, 95% CI = 3.35–4.46) and right lumbar lateral flexion (2.29°, 95% CI = -3.41 to -1.18), and a statistically significant decrease of lumbar flexion (2.2°, 95% CI = 0.34–4.06). In contrast, walking with a trolley increased extension (1.4°, 95% CI = 0.72–2.08), right lateral flexion (1.24°, 95% CI = -1.91 to -0.57) and right rotation (3.09°, 95% CI = -3.85 to -2.32) of the thoracic spine, and led to a statistically significant increase in left rotation (3.57°, 95% CI = 2.58–4.55) of the lumbar spine. Comparing the backpack and trolley groups showed a statistically significant (p = 0.05) increase in thoracic extension and right lumbar lateral flexion in the backpack group. Posture during trolley pulling was characterized by a statistically significant (p = 0.05) increase in right thoracic and left lumbar rotation.
Conclusion Participants adopted asymmetric postures during walking with a backpack and pulling a trolley. However, the trolley group was characterised by spinal rotation which possibly adds an extra source of stress. This suggests that school children should use backpacks rather than trolleys when the weight is within recommended limits.
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Dr. Dao Tran and Dr. Quan Tran graduated from Cleveland Chiropractic College of Los Angeles. Together, they have over 18 years of combined experience providing Chiropractic treatment for the injured and Lifestyle Chiropractic care to help their patients achieve optimum health and maintain peak performance. They have two Chiropractic offices in Southern California - Orange County-Fountain Valley and South Bay-Lawndale.
Call to make an appointment with Dr. Tran today!
California Pain Center
9475 Heil Ave., Suite D
Fountain Valley, CA 92708
(714) 775-7700
South Bay Pain and Rehab Center
14921 Prairie Ave., Ste. 2,
Lawndale, CA 90260
(310) 263-7246
If you have any questions or concerns feel free to contact us through our website: Contact us and you can Follow us on Twitter and also Become a FAN on Facebook.
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