The effect of carrying a light shoulder bag and cross bag on trunk positioning in young adults

Abstract

Introduction: Postural defects and accompanying dysfunctions are one of the greatest existing health problems. It is necessary to define factors responsible for the formation of incorrect body posture and strive to eliminate or modify them. The aim of the study was to determine changes in trunk positioning depending on the way of carrying a small handbag (the bag weighing 2.7 kg). Materials and methods: The study comprised 32 volunteers aged 21.75±2.00 years. The ZEBRIS Pointer system was used to test the body posture. The Statistica v13 program was applied for data compilation. Normality of distribution regarding variables was tested with the Shapiro-Wilk test. Differences between repeated measures were estimated using ANOVA, Friedman’s rank test and post hoc tests. The level of statistical significance was α=0.05. Results: Placing the bag on one shoulder significantly increased thoracic kyphosis, while wearing the bag diagonally across the trunk caused a significant increase in both thoracic kyphosis and lumbar lordosis. Other observed changes concerned the balance of the trunk in the sagittal plane, the position of the shoulder blades, symmetry of shoulder position and pelvic rotation. Conclusions: Carrying even a small load in the form of a bag significantly changes quality of body posture. Furthermore, changes in body posture depend on the way of carrying the load. Wearing the bag diagonally across the trunk is not better than carrying it asymmetrically on one shoulder.