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Experts Flag 40% Rise in Children’s Musculoskeletal Problems
Back pain can affect children, not only adults.
Physiotherapy experts say musculoskeletal problems among schoolchildren have increased by 40 per cent.
They say children often sit for long periods, use screens and do not move enough.
A study in Bhopal found that more than half of the children surveyed had experienced pain during the previous year.
Another study in Odisha also found musculoskeletal pain among schoolchildren.
Heavy schoolbags may contribute, but experts say they are not the only cause.
Other factors include poor movement habits, previous injuries, inactivity and sitting for too long.
Experts want schools to teach children about movement, strength, flexibility and fitness.
They say preventing problems early is better than waiting until pain becomes persistent.
The Indian Association of Physiotherapists says musculoskeletal problems among schoolchildren have risen by 40 per cent.
Experts link childhood back pain to prolonged sitting, screen use, inactivity, movement habits and other factors.
A Bhopal study found 55.9 per cent of 934 children reported pain during the previous year.
Researchers caution that heavy schoolbags should not be treated as the sole cause of childhood back pain.
More than 10,000 physiotherapy professionals are expected at the WPAWP Regional Conference in New Delhi on September 26-27, 2026.
- Who
- The Indian Association of Physiotherapists and physiotherapy experts, including Dr Sanjiv K Jha and Dr Ruchi Varshney.
- What
- Experts have reported a 40 per cent rise in musculoskeletal problems among schoolchildren and called for greater prevention and movement education.
- Where
- The conference will be held at Yashobhoomi in New Delhi; the cited studies were conducted in Bhopal and Odisha’s Khurda district.
- When
- The findings were highlighted on September 24 ahead of a conference scheduled for September 26-27, 2026.
- Why
- Experts say prolonged sitting, screen use, physical inactivity and other factors are contributing to childhood musculoskeletal problems, requiring earlier preventive action.
Single-factor explanation
Multifactorial explanation
Role of schoolbags
Single-factor explanation
Heavy schoolbags are identified as a possible contributor to children’s back and musculoskeletal pain.
Multifactorial explanation
Experts caution that schoolbag weight should not be treated as the sole explanation; physical activity, sitting, movement habits, previous injury and psychosocial factors may also matter.
Healthcare response
Single-factor explanation
Traditional approaches may focus on treating children after pain or other problems appear.
Multifactorial explanation
Physiotherapy experts advocate prevention through school-based movement education, fitness, screening, injury prevention and early intervention.
Key facts
- Reported increase
- 40 per cent rise in musculoskeletal problems among schoolchildren, according to the Indian Association of Physiotherapists.
- Bhopal study
- Among 934 children aged 8-15, 55.9 per cent reported pain during the previous 12 months.
- Recent Bhopal pain
- 41.6 per cent of children in the study reported pain during the preceding 10 days.
- Medical visits
- 21.3 per cent of children in the Bhopal study had visited a doctor for the problem.
- Schoolbag weight
- The average schoolbag in the Bhopal study weighed 16.5 per cent of students’ body weight.
- Odisha study
- A study of children aged 10-16 in Khurda district found an 18.8 per cent prevalence of musculoskeletal pain during the preceding year.
- Conference attendance
- More than 10,000 physiotherapy professionals from India and 32 countries are expected to attend.
Quotes
Dr Ruchi Varshney
Organising Secretary of the WPAWP Regional Conference
“We should not totally link childhood back pain to a heavy-schoolbag problem. Children need regular movement, physical fitness, strength, flexibility, good movement habits and awareness about how they use their bodies.”
theprint.in
“Back pain does not start in old age. We are seeing a concerning 40 per cent rise in musculoskeletal problems among schoolchildren, and this should make us rethink how we approach preventive healthcare in schools.”
theprint.in
Sources
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