Evaluation of an ergonomically designed schoolbag: Heart rate variability and body discomfort rating.

Background: Unsuitable schoolbags may stress the spine and promote poor body posture, particularly for school students. Global recommendations have suggested that schoolbag weight must not exceed 10% of a healthy student's body mass, which would need continuous monitoring and enforcement.

Objectives: The present study presents a comparison between an ergonomically designed schoolbag, which helps reduce the potential effects of carrying a load, and a commercial one.

Methods: A total of 30 healthy male students were recruited for this experiment. Independent variables determined were schoolbag type (ergonomically designed and commercial schoolbags) and three load levels based on body mass percentage (i.e., 10%, 15%, and 20% of body mass). Heart rate variability (HRV) and body discomfort rating were then measured.

Results: Our results showed that the developed schoolbag promoted enhanced subjective measures and HRV response at 15% and 20% of body mass. Participants who wore the developed schoolbags experienced significantly lesser neck, shoulder, upper and lower trunk discomfort than those who wore the traditional ones. Changing the load percentage from 10% to 15% caused an increase in heart rate among participants carrying a commercial schoolbag but a decrease in heart rate among those carrying the developed schoolbag.

Conclusions: The findings presented herein suggest introducing strategies for reducing the potential impact of load carrying through the combined effect of new educational inventions and policy changes.