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Articles on Healthy Backs and School Bag impact studies
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Back to school for many kids also means back to shoulder, neck and back pain caused by hauling heavy backpacks each day
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Experts agree that selecting the right backpack and teaching kids the proper way to wear it is a must for back-to-school season.
In the last 15 years as backpacks have become the style for every student from preschool to college, occupational therapists like Barbara Kornblau started seeing children as young as 10 years old complaining of neck, back, and shoulder pain.
Back problems are usually considered a wear-and tear disorder developed over time, not in children still growing and developing, says Kornblau, professor of occupational therapy and public health at Nova Southeastern University (NSU), Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
Kids didnt complain about back pains 15 years ago, she says. Back problems are expected in the 50-plus age set, not children 10 years old.
Part of the problem is that students today could never carry the amount or weight they need to take home without the help of a backpack. Books have gotten heavier over the years as schools have switched from workbooks to more cost-efficient, and reusable, hard cover books, says Kornblau.
And books arent the only problem. Students tend to shove as much as they can in their backpack at once. A typical childs backpack may contain anything from textbooks, notebooks, loose paper, pencils, markers and water bottles, to an extra pair of socks, a friends scribbled phone number, and a melting candy bar, says Anne Rambo, associate professor of family therapy at NSU and author of the book, I Know My Child Can Do Better!
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School bags in Powai are far heavier than accepted norms allow. Piali Banerjee wonders if the schools know it, or even care
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A frail 10-year-old in my neighbourhood tells me that she feels the load of her studies on her back every day. And we are speaking literally. She weighs 36 kgs, her school bag weighs 8.5 kgs. In effect, she lugs around almost 25 per cent of her body weight to and from school every day. And yes, that niggling pain in her back rarely goes away.
Her plight made me ask around about students in the other schools in Powai. I found the situation similar.
A nine-year-old, studying in another school and weighing 32 kgs, enthusiastically weighed his school bag for me. It weighed 6.5 kgs. That is still about 20 per cent of his body weight.
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Physios give tips on how to avoid book ache danger this school term
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'You can replace your school bag, but you can't replace your back. While it might not be 'cool' to carry school bags properly, it would be a lot more 'uncool' to end up with debilitating back pain, leaving kids unable to enjoy even simple activities.
'We can teach children simple moving and handling skills, which will go a long way towards preventing potential damage to their growing spines,' Janice says.
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Heavy School Bags a Pain in The Back
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Let Our Children Stand Tall' Many of you will be looking for a suitable school bag for your child going back to school in September. Here are a few tips on how to protect your child from the damage caused by many of the unsuitable school bags on the market today. Go for an ergonomic school bag.
Risk Factors/Prevention
Back packs that are too heavy or are worn incorrectly can cause problems for children and teenagers. Improperly used backpacks may injure muscles and joints. This can lead to severe, back, neck and shoulder pain as well as posture problems. These guidelines can help your family use backpacks safely.
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