What we see nowadays, is all kids heaped up with so much so loads of books on their backs. The trail is not only seen in urban population but also in remote areas. This burden so high is causing a lot of disturbance in a child’s posture and walk. With the emerging era of best of education we all forgot how much pressure both physically and mentally we are putting on our children.
Scientists have established that school children who use backpacks should avoid loads of more than 10% of their body weight and those who use trolleys, 20% of their body weight. To date, weight recommendations have been established for ordinary school backpacks, as they are the most widely used type in the school context worldwide. For the study, published in the ‘Applied Ergonomics’ journal, 49 primary school children were assessed.
A kinematic analysis of the children (posture of the trunk and lower limbs) was conducted while (i) they walked freely, carrying no weight, (ii) carrying a traditional backpack, and finally (iii) pulling a backpack trolley with different loads (10%, 15% and 20% of their respective body weights)
For the analysis, a three dimensional optical motion capture system was used, similar to those used in animation films and video games.
In collaboration with researchers from Liverpool John Moore University, scientists from the University of Granada in Spain used statistical techniques to analyse the full kinematics curves, based on tracing point trajectories. The findings of the study indicate that the greatest alterations when using trolleys or backpacks are produced in the proximal extremeties (hip and trunk), while there is little difference in the kinematics of the distal extremeties (knee and ankle).
However, pulling the backpack trolley produces fewer changes in the child’s kinematics and, therefore, resembles more closely their movement when walking free of any load, compared to carrying the backpack, even when it weighs very little.
As an overall conclusion, the study corroborates that school children who use backpacks should avoid carrying loads greater than 10% of their body weight. When pulling a school backpack trolley, the child should avoid carrying any load greater than 20% of their body weight.
We should look into this serious problem and protect our children from this burden.
Scientists have established that school children who use backpacks should avoid loads of more than 10% of their body weight and those who use trolleys, 20% of their body weight. To date, weight recommendations have been established for ordinary school backpacks, as they are the most widely used type in the school context worldwide. For the study, published in the ‘Applied Ergonomics’ journal, 49 primary school children were assessed.
A kinematic analysis of the children (posture of the trunk and lower limbs) was conducted while (i) they walked freely, carrying no weight, (ii) carrying a traditional backpack, and finally (iii) pulling a backpack trolley with different loads (10%, 15% and 20% of their respective body weights)
For the analysis, a three dimensional optical motion capture system was used, similar to those used in animation films and video games.
In collaboration with researchers from Liverpool John Moore University, scientists from the University of Granada in Spain used statistical techniques to analyse the full kinematics curves, based on tracing point trajectories. The findings of the study indicate that the greatest alterations when using trolleys or backpacks are produced in the proximal extremeties (hip and trunk), while there is little difference in the kinematics of the distal extremeties (knee and ankle).
However, pulling the backpack trolley produces fewer changes in the child’s kinematics and, therefore, resembles more closely their movement when walking free of any load, compared to carrying the backpack, even when it weighs very little.
As an overall conclusion, the study corroborates that school children who use backpacks should avoid carrying loads greater than 10% of their body weight. When pulling a school backpack trolley, the child should avoid carrying any load greater than 20% of their body weight.
We should look into this serious problem and protect our children from this burden.
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