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Back pain and backpacks in school children
David L Skaggs1, Sean D Early, Phyllis D'Ambra
1Children's Orthopaedic Center, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, and the Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90027, USA. dskaggs@chla.usc.edu
Journal of Pediatric Orthopedics
|May 4, 2006
Summary
Childhood back pain is common, with 37% of middle schoolers reporting it. Heavier backpacks and lack of school lockers are linked to increased pain, suggesting interventions can help reduce adolescent back pain.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Health
- Musculoskeletal Disorders
- Public Health
Background:
- Back pain is prevalent in adults but understudied in children.
- Recent attention highlights the need to investigate pediatric back pain causes.
- Adolescent back pain incidence approaches adult levels.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify factors influencing back pain prevalence in middle school children.
- To specifically examine the impact of backpack weight and locker availability.
- To inform interventions for reducing adolescent back pain.
Main Methods:
- Population-based study of 1540 children aged 11-14 years.
- Questionnaire assessing back pain, locker access, backpack use, and pain management.
- Analysis included child's age, weight, backpack weight, and scoliosis screening results.
Main Results:
- 37% of children reported back pain.
- Back pain associated with heavier backpacks, younger age, female sex, and positive scoliosis screening.
- Availability of school lockers correlated with reduced back pain.
Conclusions:
- Childhood back pain is a significant issue in early adolescence.
- Lighter backpacks and accessible school lockers are key modifiable factors.
- Findings support interventions to mitigate adolescent back pain.