BACKGROUND: Carrying a schoolbag is a daily activity for most children and much research has been conducted in an effort to identify a safe load limit for children to carry in their schoolbags. Despite this, there is still no consensus about guideline weight and other factors associated with carrying a schoolbag. The objective of this article is to review the literature on schoolbags with particular emphasis on the load limit guidelines and schoolbag-related musculoskeletal pain, and to suggest directions for school health and future research. METHODS: Science Direct, PubMed, AMED, CINAHL, OVID, EMBASE, and Scopus were searched for peer-reviewed articles using combinations of the following key words: schoolbag, backpack, rucksack, knapsack, satchel, book bag, book pack and included combinations of children, pain, gait, and posture. Article references were also checked for further citations. All are in English, with the exception of one which is in German but is widely cited. RESULTS: There are conflicting findings in the literature. The recommended load limit for schoolchildren to carry varies from 5% to 20% of their body weight, and the evidence linking backpack weight and back pain is inconclusive. CONCLUSIONS: The shortcomings in the current literature should be addressed so that evidence-based guidelines can be provided to schoolchildren, parents, and teachers. It is suggested that general guidance may be more appropriate than a single load limit guideline.
BACKGROUND: Carrying a schoolbag is a daily activity for most children and much research has been conducted in an effort to identify a safe load limit for children to carry in their schoolbags. Despite this, there is still no consensus about guideline weight and other factors associated with carrying a schoolbag. The objective of this article is to review the literature on schoolbags with particular emphasis on the load limit guidelines and schoolbag-related musculoskeletal pain, and to suggest directions for school health and future research. METHODS: Science Direct, PubMed, AMED, CINAHL, OVID, EMBASE, and Scopus were searched for peer-reviewed articles using combinations of the following key words: schoolbag, backpack, rucksack, knapsack, satchel, book bag, book pack and included combinations of children, pain, gait, and posture. Article references were also checked for further citations. All are in English, with the exception of one which is in German but is widely cited. RESULTS: There are conflicting findings in the literature. The recommended load limit for schoolchildren to carry varies from 5% to 20% of their body weight, and the evidence linking backpack weight and back pain is inconclusive. CONCLUSIONS: The shortcomings in the current literature should be addressed so that evidence-based guidelines can be provided to schoolchildren, parents, and teachers. It is suggested that general guidance may be more appropriate than a single load limit guideline.
Authors: João Barbosa; Mário C Marques; Mikel Izquierdo; Henrique P Neiva; Tiago M Barbosa; Robinson Ramírez-Vélez; Alicia M Alonso-Martínez; Antonio García-Hermoso; Roberto Aguado-Jimenez; Daniel A Marinho Journal: BMC Pediatr Date: 2019-05-17 Impact factor: 2.125
Authors: Tania López Hernández; Marina Caparó Ferré; Sílvia Giné Martí; Isabel Salvat Salvat Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2020-04-05 Impact factor: 3.390
Authors: João P Barbosa; Mário C Marques; Henrique P Neiva; Dulce Esteves; Alicia M Alonso-Martínez; Mikel Izquierdo; Rodrigo Ramirez-Campillo; Cristian Alvarez; Daniel A Marinho Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2019-12-17 Impact factor: 3.390