NEWS RELEASE
Wednesday, May 28, 2003
For immediate release
Contact:
Christa Dickey
cdickey@acsm.org
American College of Sports Medicine
50th Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA
CHILDREN CARRYING HEAVY BACKPACKS RISK POOR
POSTURE, INJURY
SAN FRANCISCO - Overloaded backpacks carried by children compromise
their posture and may lead to future injuries of the spine, according to
researchers who studied the effects of fatigue and load on posture of
eight to nine year-old children carrying backpacks. Results were
presented today at the American College of Sports Medicine's 50th Annual
Meeting in San Francisco.
Although experts have previously suggested limiting backpack loads to
10 percent of a child's bodyweight, there is little published research
that indicates what weights may compromise posture and gait in children.
Because nearly 25 percent of young students carry packs weighing more
than 20 percent of their bodyweight on a daily basis, and more than
6,000 children were seen in emergency rooms in 2001 for injuries related
to carrying a backpack, researchers continue to investigate the effects
of heavy packs on children. For the first time, researchers examined how
quickly children fatigue when walking with weighted packs. They found
that children, unlike adults, do not adjust their stride when tired, but
compensate for disproportionate backpack weight with a dramatic drop
forward in their head and uneven posture, a stress on the body that may
have immediate effects on posture and if ignored, eventually lead to
long-term damage of the spine.
The study involved children walking 600 meters around a 400-meter
track on three separate occasions: without a backpack, then with a 9
lb., and again with a 13.2 lb. load of books. Children were observed and
filmed rested and again when fatigued. Significant differences were
found in head flexion between the control and loaded conditions, as well
as between the 9 lb. and 13.2 lb. load and the rested and fatigued
conditions. These data show young children should be encouraged to limit
the weight in their backpacks to less than 9 lbs. to reduce changes in
posture.
"Several spot checks have shown kids carry loads between 25 and 30
lbs. in their backpacks, and whether it's legitimate school work or
'junk,' as it is in some cases, it's too much weight for their small
frames. When linked with our data that shows how posture and balance are
negatively affected by this weight, parents should be alerted to
overloaded packs," said Heidi Orloff, Ph.D.
Researchers say future studies will examine the link between strength
and a child's ability to carry heavy packs, as well as how the position
of a bag may determine how compromised posture may become.
ACSM's 50th Annual Meeting is going on now at the San Francisco
Moscone Center. For more information on the event, or to speak with ACSM
Communications and Public Information staff, please call (415)
978-3505.
The American College of Sports Medicine is the largest sports
medicine and exercise science organization in the world. More than
20,000 International, National, and Regional members are dedicated to
promoting and integrating scientific research, education, and practical
applications of sports medicine and exercise science to maintain and
enhance physical performance, fitness, health, and quality of life.
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NOTE: The conclusions outlined in this news release are those of the
researchers only, and should not be construed as an official statement
of the American College of Sports Medicine.
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