Non-specific low back pain: cross-sectional study of 11,423 children and youth and the association with the perception of heaviness in carrying of schoolbags

Agnieszka Kędra; Magdalena Plandowska; Przemysław Kędra; Dariusz Czaprowski

doi:10.7717/peerj.11220

Non-specific low back pain: cross-sectional study of 11,423 children and youth and the association with the perception of heaviness in carrying of schoolbags

PeerJ. 2021 May 4:9:e11220. doi: 10.7717/peerj.11220. eCollection 2021.

Authors

Agnieszka Kędra¹, Magdalena Plandowska¹, Przemysław Kędra¹, Dariusz Czaprowski^{2

3}

Affiliations

¹ Faculty of Physical Education and Health, Jozef Pilsudski University of Physical Education in Warsaw, Biala Podlaska, Poland.
² Physiotherapy Unit, Department of Health Sciences, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland.
³ Department of Health Sciences, Olsztyn University, Olsztyn, Poland.

Abstract

Background: Carrying a schoolbag is a daily activity for most children and adolescents.The perception of a schoolbag's weight depends upon the individual and is a relevant theme in schoolchildren. Describing the association between the perception of heaviness in carrying a schoolbag and NLBP can facilitate the planning of preventive programs, quite different from those based on specific weight limits for schoolbags in children and youth.

Objective: To determine the prevalence of non-specific low back pain (NLBP) and to analyse the association between the perception of heaviness in carrying of schoolbags and NLBP in Polish children and youth aged 10-19.

Methods: This study included 11,423 children and youth (6,252 girls and 5,171 boys) from Poland. An original questionnaire was used to assess NLBP prevalence.

Results: Among 11,423 of the respondents, 41.5% of the respondents admitted that they had experienced NLBP in the period of the last 12 months. The percentage of individuals reporting NLBP increased with age of participants, p < 0.001. Girls reported NLBP more often than boys (p < 0.001). Students with NLBP declared that their school backpack was heavy more often than students without LBP. Students who thought that their backpacks weighed too much manifested a 1.44 (95% Cl [1.33-1.55]) times higher probability to experience NLBP.

Conclusion: In the examined group of schoolchildren a frequent occurrence of NLBP (41.5%) was noted. Its occurrence was related to female sex and age. Students who thought that their backpacks weighed too much manifested higher probability to develop NLBP.

Keywords: Adolescent; Children; Low back pain; Pain; Schoolbag.

Grants and funding

The authors received no funding for this work.