title: School children's backpacks, back pain and back pathologies.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate whether backpack weight is associated with back pain and back pathology in school children.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Schools in Northern Galicia, Spain.
  
  
  METHODS
  All children aged 12-17.
  
  
  METHODS
  Backpack weight along with body mass index, age and gender.
  
  
  METHODS
  Back pain and back pathology.
  
  
  RESULTS
  1403 school children were analysed. Of these, 61.4% had backpacks exceeding 10% of their body weight. Those carrying the heaviest backpacks had a 50% higher risk of back pain (OR 1.50 CI 95% 1.06 to 2.12) and a 42% higher risk of back pathology, although this last result was not statistically significant (OR 1.42 CI 95% 0.86 to 2.32). Girls presented a higher risk of back pain compared with boys.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Carrying backpacks increases the risk of back pain and possibly the risk of back pathology. The prevalence of school children carrying heavy backpacks is extremely high. Preventive and educational activities should be implemented in this age group.
authors.affiliation: Emergency Service, Hospital da Costa, Burela, Spain.
authors.forename: Paloma
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rodríguez-Oviedo
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ruano-Ravina
authors.forename: Mónica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pérez-Ríos
authors.forename: Francisco Blanco
authors.initials: FB
authors.lastname: García
authors.forename: Dorotea
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gómez-Fernández
authors.forename: Anselmo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fernández-Alonso
authors.forename: Isabel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Carreira-Núñez
authors.forename: Pilar
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: García-Pacios
authors.forename: Javier
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Turiso
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001416:Back Pain / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017770:Lifting; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors; D012574:Schools; D012600:Scoliosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D017678:Sex Distribution; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D013334:Students / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016474:Weight-Bearing