Effects of Backpack Weight on Posture, Gait Patterns and Ground Reaction Forces of Male Children with Obesity during Stair Descent

This study investigates the effects of backpack weight on posture, gait pattern, and ground reaction forces for children with obesity in an attempt to define a safe backpack weight limit for them. A total of 16 obese (11.19 +/- 0.66 years of age) and 21 normal body weight (11.13 +/- 0.69 years of age) schoolboys were recruited. Two force plates and two video cameras were used. Multivariate analysis of variance with repeated measures was employed. Obese children showed increased trunk and head forward inclination angle, gait cycle duration and stance phase, decreased swing phase, and increased ground reaction force in the medial-lateral and anterior-posterior directions when compared with male children with a normal body weight. The changes were observed even with an empty backpack in comparison with normal body weight children and a 15% increase in backpack weight led to further instability and damage on their already strained bodies.