Is Your School Bag Appropriate For You?

One in three children aged 11 to 14 years report back pain, the majority of whom attribute their pain to wearing a school bag.  Heavy load of the back pack and improper use will put pressure on lumbar spine affecting child’s  posture, compress their spine and impair their growth. It can also cause headaches and affect their concentration in school. 

---

Follow the following preventive measures:

1) Children should limit the weight of backpack to 10-15% of their body weight. Children with Scoliosis should limit it to 10%. If the books are heavier than this, you should make an arrangement with school to keep an extra set of books at home.

2) Choose a backpack with 2 wide straps with some padding. Always use both the shoulder straps.  Slinging the backpack on a single shoulder will cause misalignment of spine leading to back and neck pain.

3) Evenly distribute the weight in the backpack. Keep the heaviest items closest to your back.

4) The backpack should rest in the curve of the lower back and not hang loosely on the buttocks. If the backpack is too high or too low, it will extend your lower back too much and cause pain.

5) Pay attention to the posture of the child when wearing the backpack. Make sure they are not slouching or leaning on one side due to overweight backpack.  

Photos are courtesy of Google Images.