Backpack Influence on Kinematic Parameters related to Timed Up and Go (TUG) Test in School Children

Although a very large number of students in the world use uncomfortable and heavy backpacks, their negative influence on gait in terms of spatiotemporal and kinematic parameters are still not well investigated. The purpose of the paper is to investigate the role of the school backpack during the execution of the Timed Up and Go test trying to identify if and how much it affects walking in terms of spatiotemporal and kinematic parameters considering whether it might be correlated to low back pain in children. A population-based sample of 98 children students ages 10-12 years was studied; gender, age, weight and lower limb length were recorded. Data were computed using a wearable inertial device for gait analysis: G-Walk System by BTS Bioengineering and analyzed through Inferential Statistics and Machine Learning. Overall, concerning Inferential Statistics carried out through ANOVA test for each motion parameter between free walk and walk with backpack, it was found that there is a significant statistical difference on 23 out of 30 motion parameters, of which 20 with maximum statistical significance (p<0.0001). Concerning Machine Learning analysis carried out through Random Forest algorithm considering free walk and walk with backpack as two different classes, it was found a high value of the overall Accuracy metric with a value of about 96%. Study results suggested that there is a drastic change in spatiotemporal and kinematic parameters related to gait underlining how the backpack alters the latter. The results should be taken in correct account to safeguard children’s health exposed to these prolonged condition.