RESUMO
STUDY DESIGN: A cross-sectional study of 745 young adolescents in the area of two Regional Health Centers in the Netherlands. OBJECTIVES: To assess the occurrence of neck and/or shoulder and back complaints in young adolescents and examine relationships with type and weight of schoolbags and other physical and psychologic risk factors. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: The occurrence of back pain in children and adolescents varies from 8% to 74% in the literature. Age, gender, and certain psychological factors appear to be important risk factors. An association with heavy schoolbags has been presumed but without clear scientific evidence. METHODS: A questionnaire was used, asking about complaints of back, neck, and/or shoulders and about potential risk factors including psychosomatic factors. Length and weight of the children were determined. Schoolbags were weighed, and the relative weight of the schoolbag was calculated. RESULTS: Neck and/or shoulder complaints and also back complaints were reported by about 45% of young adolescents. Severe complaints of neck and/or shoulder were reported by 6%, and severe back complaints by 7% of the schoolchildren. The (relative) weight of schoolbags was not related to complaints of neck and/or shoulder and back. Psychosomatic factors showed the strongest association with the occurrence of neck and/or shoulder and back complaints. CONCLUSION: Psychosomatic factors appear to be more strongly related to the occurrence of neck and/or shoulder and back complaints than the type and weight of the schoolbag and other physical factors. The role of psychosomatic factors should be further explored in future longitudinal research.