Impact Of Backpack Weight On Students In Primary Schools

Abstract

When primary school students complain of persistent discomfort in their necks and shoulders to their parents or pediatricians, it is usually because their backpacks are too heavy. The study's objective was to determine if Erbil primary school students' risk of experiencing lumbar, lower back, shoulder, and neck discomfort increased when they were required to carry large backpacks. The study's participants were 350 kids, whose ages ranged from six to eleven. A total of 200 male and 150 female students from all grade levels who walked with rucksacks were randomly selected to take part in the study. In order to gauge the prevalence of lumbar, cervical, and leg pain, a questionnaire was distributed. As part of the procedure, we weighed the pupils and their baggage. The bag-to-body weight ratio was considered. A considerable number of students (69%), impacted mostly on the shoulders and neck (p<0.005), experienced musculoskeletal complaints in the first and second sessions as a result of carrying heavy luggage. There were no obvious variations between the sexes when the burden was 10%-20% of body weight. Backpacks that carried more than 10% to 20% of a child's body weight caused a great deal of pain and suffering for elementary school students, particularly those in first and second grade.