Variation of Spatiotemporal Parameters in School Children Carrying Different Backpack Loads (SCBP)

Variation of Spatiotemporal Parameters in School Children Carrying Different Backpack Loads: Clinical Trial

Backpacks (BP) represent the method most used by students to transport external cargo. Previous studies cite that between 4.7% and 38% of children carry daily BP loads greater than 20% of their body mass. The purpose of this study was to analyze spatiotemporal parameters of gait in children using varyingly loaded BPs.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Child, Only; Gait, Unsteady
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Backpack child's body weight

Detailed Description

This study examined 231 schoolchildren (118 boys, 113 girls) aged six to 12 years, carrying a traditional BP to manipulate loading (Crossing Backpack Children Arpenaz 7 Litres, Junior Red Quechua). The inclusion criteria were: age between six and 12 years, no pain in the lower limb and back at the time of examination. The exclusion criteria were: recent injury to the lower limb and back, alterations in the foot bones, congenital structural changes to the ankle, flatfoot associated with cerebral palsy, surgical treatment of foot or lower leg, or any genetic, neurologic or muscular conditions.

The parents were provided with information about the study, and those consenting for their children to participate, also completed a questionnaire. The children were fully informed of the procedures involved and gave assent. All procedures were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institution of University of Malaga (CEUMA 91/2016H) and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration.

Load was added to the BPs in increments of 5%, 10%, 15% and 20% of the child's body weight. Spatio-temporal parameters were measured with the OptoGait® system.

Two examiners were responsible for the system software and collecting data. General information, including height and weight, were recorded. To measure gait parameters, the protocol used for the Optogait reliability testing was used. This involved the children walking on a walkway at a comfortable speed, repeating this walk three times and calculating the mean speed. Prior to data collection, the children performed one familiarization trial for five minutes. Children were asked to walk naturally, facing forward, with their hands out of pockets; wearing light, comfortable clothes, with the BP placed correctly. As the children started walking, the researchers selected the foot of the first step inside the bars, in the Optogait software. After being instructed to 'walk slowly at a comfortable speed', the children walked from a point two metres in front of the bar and stopped at a point two metres behind the last bar, to minimize effects of acceleration and deceleration

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 231
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Spain
  • Armilla, Spain, 18100
    • Gabriel Gijon Nogueron

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 6 years to 12 years (Child)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• The inclusion criteria were: age between six and 12 years, no pain in the lower limb and back at the time of examination.

Exclusion Criteria:

• The exclusion criteria were: recent injury to the lower limb and back, alterations in the foot bones, congenital structural changes to the ankle, flatfoot associated with cerebral palsy, surgical treatment of foot or lower leg, or any genetic, neurologic or muscular conditions.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Health Services Research
• Allocation: Non-Randomized
• Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
• Masking: Double

Number of Arms

5

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
No Intervention: Baseline; Children between six and 12 years, no pain in the lower limb and back at the time of examination using a backpack without the child's body weight, the spatio-temporal parameters are measured with the OptoGait® system
Experimental: 5% child's body weight; Children between six and 12 years, no pain in the lower limb and back at the time of examination using a backpack load was added to the BPs 5%, of the child's body weight, the spatio-temporal parameters are measured with the OptoGait® system	Other: Backpack child's body weight; Children are asked to walk naturally, facing forward, with their hands out of pockets; wearing light, comfortable clothes, with the BP placed correctly. As the children start walking, the researchers select the foot of the first step inside the bars, in the Optogait software. After being instructed to 'walk slowly at a comfortable speed', the children walk from a point two metres in front of the bar and stop at a point two metres behind the last bar, to minimize effects of acceleration and deceleration . A three-minute interval occurs between individual assessments to transmit the data, as well as to prepare for the next assessment. Only steps in the sensor areas are included in the analysis. Recording six to eight strides is reported as sufficient to obtain representative data for unimpaired adults. Subsequently, five experimental conditions are measured: without BP, BP loads of 5%, 10%, 15%, and 20% of body weight. The order of these loaded conditions are random.
Experimental: 10% child's body weight; Children between six and 12 years, no pain in the lower limb and back at the time of examination using a backpack load was added to the BPs 10%, of the child's body weight, the spatio-temporal parameters are measured with the OptoGait® system	Other: Backpack child's body weight; Children are asked to walk naturally, facing forward, with their hands out of pockets; wearing light, comfortable clothes, with the BP placed correctly. As the children start walking, the researchers select the foot of the first step inside the bars, in the Optogait software. After being instructed to 'walk slowly at a comfortable speed', the children walk from a point two metres in front of the bar and stop at a point two metres behind the last bar, to minimize effects of acceleration and deceleration . A three-minute interval occurs between individual assessments to transmit the data, as well as to prepare for the next assessment. Only steps in the sensor areas are included in the analysis. Recording six to eight strides is reported as sufficient to obtain representative data for unimpaired adults. Subsequently, five experimental conditions are measured: without BP, BP loads of 5%, 10%, 15%, and 20% of body weight. The order of these loaded conditions are random.
Experimental: 15% child's body weight; Children between six and 12 years, no pain in the lower limb and back at the time of examination using a backpack load was added to the BPs 15%, of the child's body weight, the spatio-temporal parameters are measured with the OptoGait® system	Other: Backpack child's body weight; Children are asked to walk naturally, facing forward, with their hands out of pockets; wearing light, comfortable clothes, with the BP placed correctly. As the children start walking, the researchers select the foot of the first step inside the bars, in the Optogait software. After being instructed to 'walk slowly at a comfortable speed', the children walk from a point two metres in front of the bar and stop at a point two metres behind the last bar, to minimize effects of acceleration and deceleration . A three-minute interval occurs between individual assessments to transmit the data, as well as to prepare for the next assessment. Only steps in the sensor areas are included in the analysis. Recording six to eight strides is reported as sufficient to obtain representative data for unimpaired adults. Subsequently, five experimental conditions are measured: without BP, BP loads of 5%, 10%, 15%, and 20% of body weight. The order of these loaded conditions are random.
Experimental: 20% child's body weight; Children between six and 12 years, no pain in the lower limb and back at the time of examination using a backpack load was added to the BPs 20%, of the child's body weight, the spatio-temporal parameters are measured with the OptoGait® system	Other: Backpack child's body weight; Children are asked to walk naturally, facing forward, with their hands out of pockets; wearing light, comfortable clothes, with the BP placed correctly. As the children start walking, the researchers select the foot of the first step inside the bars, in the Optogait software. After being instructed to 'walk slowly at a comfortable speed', the children walk from a point two metres in front of the bar and stop at a point two metres behind the last bar, to minimize effects of acceleration and deceleration . A three-minute interval occurs between individual assessments to transmit the data, as well as to prepare for the next assessment. Only steps in the sensor areas are included in the analysis. Recording six to eight strides is reported as sufficient to obtain representative data for unimpaired adults. Subsequently, five experimental conditions are measured: without BP, BP loads of 5%, 10%, 15%, and 20% of body weight. The order of these loaded conditions are random.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
OptoGait® system is a system for movement analysis and functional assessment of patients with five-meter instrument walkway test	The Optogait is a reliable and validated system, which records 19 spatio-temporal parameters. For this study, a five-metre instrument walkway is used, consisting of five transmission bars and five reception bars, with a separation of 120cm. Each bar (100cm x 8cm) contains 96 light emitters 3mm from the ground. Optical sensors operate at a frequency of 1000 Hz, with accuracy of 1cm, to detect the spatio-temporal parameters related to walking, running and other movements. The software use is OptoGait® v.1.11.1.0. The Optogait system is calibrated and checked for accuracy at all times, and provided an exhaustive, reliable measurement of the spatiotemporal phases of the gait cycle	1 hour

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University of Malaga

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Paez-Moguer J, Montes-Alguacil J, Garcia-Paya I, Medina-Alcantara M, Evans AM, Gijon-Nogueron G. Variation of spatiotemporal parameters in school children carrying different backpack loads: a cross sectional study. Sci Rep. 2019 Aug 21;9(1):12192. doi: 10.1038/s41598-019-48675-3.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): November 2, 2018
• Primary Completion (Actual): January 16, 2019
• Study Completion (Actual): February 28, 2019

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: February 11, 2019
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: February 12, 2019
• First Posted (Actual): February 15, 2019

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): August 28, 2019
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: August 24, 2019
• Last Verified: August 1, 2019

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Nervous System Diseases; Neurologic Manifestations; Gait Disorders, Neurologic
• Other Study ID Numbers: UMalagaHS

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No