It’s that time of year again. The majority of schools have started back up and your daily routine can finally return to normal during this often-stressful period of the year!
New teachers, friends, stationary and uniforms are just some of the changes that many children are currently facing in these first few weeks back and the question I am asking today is how can we make this year better than the last? And how can we better their schooling year?
The answer lies with their school bag!
Almost every other item required for school has requirements right from the shoes worn on their feet to the stationary used in the classroom but school bags are another story, where the majority are chosen based of aesthetics rather than practicality.
All to often I see primary aged children with bags more than half their size or high school students with sports bags resting over one shoulder, neither situation being ideal for the body and ultimately will be affecting how they are functioning. It is recommended that a school bag weighs no more than 10% of the individual’s body weight, yet students are often required to carry more than this on a daily basis and that doesn't include the equipment required for extracurricular activities.
Overall this extra weight can place unwanted stress onto the spine during the years in which a majority of growth and development occurs. Numerous studies have found spinal and shoulder complaints in children as a result of carrying around heavy school packs, with the complaints becoming worse as each week goes on (1,2,3,4). One Dublin study found that 68% of students were carrying bags over the 10% bodyweight recommendation (1).
So what can we do about it?
Bags should be no heavier than 10% of a student’s bodyweight (where possible).
Make sure the bag is sturdy and appropriately sized – no wider than the student’s chest
Choose a bag with broad, padded shoulder straps
Use both shoulder straps
The straps should be shortened until the bottom of the bag is just above the child’s waist (not sitting on their buttocks).
The bag should lie flat on the child’s back.
Use waist straps where possible.
Place all heavy items at the part of the bag closest to the spine.
With long periods of time spent stationary and increasing technical devices being added to schools every little bit helps and the more stress we can take off of their spines the better. Albeit another great reason to get their spines checked by a chiropractor!
References
(1) Schoolbag weight and the effects of schoolbag carriage on secondary school students. Dockrella, C. Kanea, E. O’Keeffea a School of Physiotherapy, Trinity Centre for Health Sciences, Trinity College Dublin,
(2) Perceived school bag load, duration of carriage, and method of transport to school are associated with spinal pain in adolescents: an observational study. Clare Haselgrove, Leon Straker, Anne Smith, Peter O’Sullivan, Mark Perry, Nick Sloan 2011 Australian Journal of Physiotherapy Volume 54, Issue 3, 2008, Pages 193–200
(3) The association of backpack use and back pain in adolescents. Sheir-Neiss G Kruse R Rahman T Jacobson L and Pelli J. Spine. 28 (2003) 922-930.
(4) Chiropractors’ Association of Australia ‘Backpack use among Australian School Children’ Fact Sheet