Quality of life, school backpack weight, and nonspecific low back pain in children and adolescents

• Main Authors: Rosangela B. Macedo, Manuel J. Coelho-e-Silva, Nuno F. Sousa, João Valente-dos-Santos, Aristides M. Machado-Rodrigues, Sean P. Cumming, Alessandra V. Lima, Rui S. Gonçalves, Raul A. Martins
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier 2015-06-01
• Series: Jornal de Pediatria
• Subjects: Qualidade de vida; Lombalgia não específica; Crianças e adolescentes; Mochila escolar
• Online Access: http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0021-75572015000300263&lng=en&tlng=en

OBJECTIVES: To describe the degree of disability, anthropometric variables, quality of life (QoL), and school backpack weight in boys and girls aged 11-17 years. The differences in QoL between those who did or did not report low back pain (LBP) were also analyzed. METHODS: Eighty-six girls (13.9 ± 1.9 years of age) and 63 boys (13.7 ± 1.7 years of age) participated. LBP was assessed by questionnaire, and disability using the Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire. QoL was assessed by the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL). Multivariate analyses of variance and covariance were used to assess differences between groups. RESULTS: Girls reported higher disability than boys (p = 0.01), and lower QoL in the domains of physical (p < 0.001) and emotional functioning (p < 0.01), psychosocial health (p = 0.02) and physical health summary score (p < 0.001), and on the total PedsQL score (p < 0.01). School backpack weight was similar in both genders (p = 0.61) and in participants with and without LBP (p = 0.15). After adjustments, participants with LBP reported lower physical functioning (p < 0.01), influencing lower physical health summary score (p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Girls had higher disability and lower QoL than boys in the domains of physical and emotional functioning, psychosocial health, and physical health summary scores, and on the total PedsQL score; however, similar school backpack weight was reported. Participants with LBP revealed lower physical functioning and physical health summary score, yet had similar school backpack weight to those without LBP.