The accumulative effects of load carriage over one shoulder on the lateral curvature of the spine of school children between the age of 11 - 16.
Item
- Title
- The accumulative effects of load carriage over one shoulder on the lateral curvature of the spine of school children between the age of 11 - 16.
- Author(s)
- Bench Katherine
- Abstract
- Heavy bag carriage in school children is an area of concern, highlighted by recent media coverage. This study was designed to ascertain whether the accumulative affects of heavy bag carriage over one shoulder causes a lateral curvature of the spine in school children.80 pupils were observed and their lateral deviation measured using a plumb line. 40 subjects were from an independent boarding school which provided desks to store their books (control group), and the other 40 were from a comprehensive school with no access to desks or lockers. The sample chosen in each school consisted of 20 year 7 (11-12 year old) and 20 year 11 (15-16 year old) pupils. Only 59 pupils fulfilled the inclusion criteria and were therefore included in the study. The four groups were compared.The results showed a significant difference in size of lateral curvature of the two year 7 groups ( = 0.0082), the subjects without lockers having a greater deviation. There was no significant difference between year 11 groups or between year 7 and 11's in the same school.These results may confirm the National Back Pain Association's findings that 11-12 year olds are more at risk of back problems caused by external factors than 15-16 year olds. They do not suggest that heavy bag carriage over one shoulder has the accumulative effect of causing a permanent lateral curvature of the spine. However, the author postulates that carrying such loads in an asymmetrical fashion may cause undue strain on other structures of the developing body. As the rising incidence of back pain in children is well documented this would appear to be a necessary area for future research.A greater understanding of the effect of external factors on the developing spine is particularly pertinent to practitioners involved in the management of back pain. Whilst these factors may not necessarily be the main cause of pain they may be important predisposing or maintaining factors.
- Abstract
- presented at
- British School of Osteopathy
- Date Accepted
- 1999
- Date Submitted
- 11.8.2000 00:00:00
- Type
- undergraduate_project
- Language
- English
- Submitted by:
- 62
- Pub-Identifier
- 12223
- Inst-Identifier
- 780
- Keywords
- Posture,Bag Carriage,Spine Curvature,Ergonomics,Children,Back Pain,Children
- Recommended
- 0
- Item sets
- Thesis
Bench Katherine, “The accumulative effects of load carriage over one shoulder on the lateral curvature of the spine of school children between the age of 11 - 16.”, Osteopathic Research Web, accessed April 29, 2024, https://www.osteopathicresearch.com/s/orw/item/2239