Duration of the project:
1. 1. 2024 – 31. 12. 2025
Lead partner:
University of Primorska, Faculty of Health Sciences
Project partner:
Principal investigator at UP Faculty of Health Sciences:
Assist. Prof. Žiga Kozinc (SICRIS, ResearchGate)
Team at UP Faculty of Health Sciences:
- Assist. Prof. Matej Plevnik (SICRIS, ResearchGate)
- Prof. Nejc Šarabon (SICRIS, ResearchGate)
- Assoc. Prof. Dorjana Zerbo Šporin (SICRIS, ResearchGate)
- Assist. Prof. Urška Čeklić, prof. šp. vzg. (SICRIS, ResearchGate)
Abstract:
It is common for children to transport their school books and other school equipment using specialized school bags, backpacks, or school trolleys. Most (90%) wear a traditional school bag on the back. In research of this type, the influence of different masses of school bags on the spatiotemporal parameters of walking was mainly examined. The influence of carrying school bags of different weights (10-15% of the subject’s body mass) was often examined. In comparison, postural changes in static and dynamic conditions were recorded when carrying an external load greater than 20% of the child’s body mass).
Despite the lack of information on the impact of a school bag on lower back pain in children and adolescents, the authors believe that carrying too heavy school bags is an essential biomechanical factor that negatively affects children’s growth and development.
The research examines the influence of different external loads caused by carrying a school bag of different masses on the kinematic parameters of walking in children aged 8 to 12.
The sample of respondents consists of 200 boys and girls aged 8 to 12 who attend schools in the Republic of Srpska (Bosnia and Herzegovina) and the Republic of Slovenia. One of the conditions for participating in this research is that the children have signed written consent from their parents or legal representative. Children with intellectual disabilities, epilepsy, cerebral palsy, hemiparesis, diabetes mellitus, diseases of the heart and blood flow, respiratory organs, children with a history of fractures of the lower extremities in the past year, children who use mobility aids, who feel any pain, fatigue during the day testing, they will not be able to participate in the research.
Sample variables
The independent variables are:
1. Anthropometric characteristics of the subjects: body mass, body height, and percentage of fat tissue.
2. The body mass index will be used to assess the nutritional status of the examined group concerning the percentile curve for boys and girls aged 5 to 19.
3. External load:
• no load (no school bag)
• a school bag weighing 10% of the subject’s body weight
• a school bag weighing 20% of the subject’s body weight
• a school bag weighing 30% of the subject’s body weight
The dependent variables are:
Kinematic gait parameter:
• cycle length
• step length and step frequency
• duration of the stance phase
• duration of the swing phase
• duration of the contact phase with one leg (single support)
• duration of the contact phase with both legs (double support)
Research flow and procedures
With the approval of the Ministry of Education of the Government of the Republic of Srpska and the Ministry of Education, Science and Sports of the Republic of Slovenia, as well as with the approval of the management of school institutions, respondents and their parents will be informed about the subject and purpose of the research through a questionnaire. By filling out the questionnaire and signing it, the parents or legal representative of the child would consent for the child to participate in this research.
It is planned that the testing will be carried out in the physical education halls of the schools that took part in the research. In the morning hours, anthropometric measurements would be taken. A Seca (Germany) altimeter would be used to assess body height. In contrast, a specialized Tanita BC 418a scale would be used to assess other anthropometric characteristics (body mass, percentage of fat tissue, body mass index), which uses the bioelectrical impedance method to assess the subject’s body composition.
The kinematic parameter of the gait will be determined using the OptoGait system (Italy), where each of the subjects, after being thoroughly familiarized with the test tasks, first without load and then carrying a precisely determined external load on the back (a school bag weighing 10%, 20% and 30 % of the subject’s body mass), at an arbitrary speed of movement, crosses the appropriate distance (5m), within which the spatiotemporal parameters of the gait are monitored. Each subject has the opportunity to repeat the test three times, and the mean value of the obtained parameters will be taken for further analysis.
Using the statistical package SPSS , standard descriptive and comparative statistics procedures will analyze the collected data, and the obtained data will be presented graphically and tabularly.
