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Abstract from the SRS 2001 Annual Meeting
Shruti R. Iyer, Clear Lake High School, Houston, Texas, USA PURPOSE: Chronic musculoskeletal
pain in schoolchildren due to school carry-on items is a recognized problem. There
are suggestions that schoolchildren with scoliosis may be at higher risk for such
pain. METHODS: The present study of 140 schoolchildren aged 6.0 to 20.6 years
compared the control group (103 children) and schoolchildren with idiopathic scoliosis
(37 children). After obtaining parental consent, the test subjects filled out
the questionnaire, and rated their chronic musculoskeletal pain using the Borg
Pain Scale. Their height was measured, followed by their weight with and without
carry-on items. The right calf and triceps thickness were then measured using
a skinfold caliper, followed by the arm and shoulder strengths using the Jackson
strength tester. The variables affecting chronic pain studied were: Body mass
index; strength; % body weight carried; body fat; vitamin, mood, exercise and
smoking status. RESULTS: More than half the schoolchildren reported chronic musculoskeletal
pain due to school carry-on items, primarily in the neck and shoulders. Chi-square
tests show that, pain is statistically significant (p=0.0113), and decreases in
the control group as the weight carried decreases, but is not completely eliminated.
The z-Test shows that, scoliotics are at a higher risk for pain than the control
group (p=0.0436). The Regression Analysis shows that chronic musculoskeletal pain
due to school carry-on items, is not correlated with the variables studied (p › 0.14986).
The backpack carry-on habits, exercise habits and vitamin intake are comparable
between the two groups studied. Among children without pain, the control group
was in a better mood than scoliotics. Among children with pain, the control children
are twice as stressed as the scoliotic children, but the latter are five times
as sad as the former. The scoliotics do not carry above 13.7% of their body weight
compared to 28.4% for the control group. The shoulder strength of the scoliotics
is significantly lower than the control group (a mean of 11.3 kg vs. 32 kg.).
More than 10% of the schoolchildren are overweight and have non-optimal body fat.
Scoliotics are four times as overweight and have non-optimal body fat as the control
children. CONCLUSIONS: Children with idiopathic scoliosis have a statistically
significant higher risk for chronic pain; carry less weight to school; have lower
arm and shoulder strengths; and are more sad, overweight and have non-optimal
body fat; compared to schoolchildren without scoliosis.
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