Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the changes in heart rate, respiratory rate, blood pressure and energy expenditure while walking without and with backpack in school going children. Method: Forty six subjects, (24 boys and 22 girls) were taken in the study. Their resting parameters ie H.R, R.R and B.P were recorded. Then subjects were asked to walk for 6 minutes on the level ground and their parameters were recorded immediately, after 3 minutes and 5 minutes and their physiological cost index was calculated. Resting time was given to the subjects to bring their parameters to baseline and then subjects were asked to walk again for 6 minutes with 20% of their body weight in backpack and the same procedure was repeated. Result: There was a significant difference in H.R, R.R and P.C.I in walking without and with backpack (p<0.01). However their was no significant difference in B.P. in without backpack walk and with backpack walk.

Keywords: Heart Rate (H.R.); Respiratory Rate (R.R.); Physiological Cost Index (P.C.I.); Systolic Blood Pressure (S.B.P) and Diastolic Blood Pressure (D.B.P).