Short-term effects of backpack carriage on plantar pressure and gait in schoolchildren
PAU, MASSIMILIANO;LEBAN, BRUNO;
2015-01-01
Abstract
Purpose: To assess the effects of backpack carriage on plantar pressure distributions and spatio-temporal gait parameters among children. Participants: Two hundred-eighteen schoolchildren, aged 6-13, and attending primary and secondary schools in the city of Cagliari (Italy).Methods: Participants were tested at school, during regular days. A pressure plate and wearable inertial sensors were used to measure plantar pressures and spatio-temporal parameters of gait. Measures were obtained during both quiet standing and walking, and both with and without a backpack. The latter contained those items a child had on the testing day.Results: Participants carried a mean mass in their backpacks of 5.2 kg, and more than half had a backpack/body mass ratio higher than 15%. While spatio-temporal gait parameters were not affected by backpack carriage, significant increases (up to 25%) in plantar pressures were found during both static standing and walking, especially in the forefoot. Conclusion: Under realistic conditions, the impact of backpack carriage was more evident on foot-ground interaction than on gait features. However, long-term consequences of altered plantar pressure need to be assessed in future work, considering the actual durations typically spent carrying school items.Items in DSpace are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated.