One-shoulder backpack carry alters foot contact in healthy teens

This observational study examined how different ways of carrying a school backpack affect pressure on the soles of the feet in 92 healthy adolescents aged 12–18. Participants stood and walked on a pressure-sensitive mat under four conditions: no backpack, backpack on both shoulders, on the right shoulder only, and on the left shoulder only. The study found that carrying a backpack on one shoulder increased the foot contact area but did not significantly change average or maximum pressure, suggesting the body compensates well in healthy teens.