Multi-objective analysis for assessing simultaneous changes in regional spinal curvatures under backpack carriage in young adults

Change in sagittal spinal curvature from the neutral upright stance is an important measure of the heaviness and correctness of backpack use. As current recommendations, with respect to spinal profile, of backpack load thresholds were based on the significant curvature change in individual spinal region only, this study investigated the most critical backpack load by assessing simultaneously the spinal curvature changes along the whole spine. A motion analysis system was used to measure the curvature changes in cervical, upper thoracic, lower thoracic and lumbar regions with backpack load at 0, 5, 10, 15 and 20% of body weight. A multi-objective goal programming model was adopted to determine the global critical load of maximum curvature change of the whole spine in accordance with the maximum curvature changes of the four spinal regions. Results suggested that the most critical backpack load was 13% of body weight for healthy male college students.

Practitioner Summary: As current recommendations of backpack load thresholds were based on the significant curvature change in individual spinal region only, this study investigated the backpack load by considering simultaneously the spinal curvature changes along the whole spine. The recommendation, in terms of the global critical load, was 13% of body weight for healthy male college students.