Effect of Ergonomic Modification Training about Schoolbag on Reduction of Musculoskeletal Complaints in Primary School Students

Students spend about 6 hours a day. Ergonomic properties of school bag including bag weight, bag type, carrying method and bag size in relation to the students anthropometric dimensions are among the important causes of musculoskeletal pain and discomfort in students. In this study we assessed the effect of training on reduction of the symptoms and ergonomic correction of the school bag.
109 students in the 6th grade entered the study. Musculoskeletal complaints, ergonomic properties of school bag, and its carrying method were assessed before and after a training intervention. P-values less than 0.05 considered significant. Data analysis was performed with SPSS software using Student T-test, Paired T test and chi square test for variables with normal distribution and Mann-Whitney U test and Kruskal Wallis test for variables without normal distribution. Kolmogorov-Smirnov test was used to test the normality of the variables.
Bag weight was decreased significantly from 3.41 ± 0.48 kg before training to 2.60 ± 0.86 kg after training (P Our training program about ergonomic modification of school bag was effective specially on the lowering the bag weight, but not on bag ergonomics; this reduction in the bag weight resulted in the reduction of the neck, shoulder, and back pain.