ABSTRACT
Backpacks are used for many purposes, such as recreational hiking, industrial applications, load carriage by military soldiers and most importantly by children to carry books to and from schools. Children who are still in their developmental phase are the ones who are most likely to be affected by prolonged usage of heavy backpacks. Backpack-related medical injuries involving tissue damage under the straps, lower and upper back problems, neck pain and limb injuries have been reported (Grimmer and Williams, 2000; Negrini et al., 1999; Puckree et al., 2004; Whittfield et al., 2005). Hence, numerous research groups have focused their attention on analysing the effects of backpack load carriage on gait, postural stability and its long-term impact on the musculoskeletal system (reviewed in Knapik et al., 1996, 2004).
