Heavy School Bags

Minimising School Bag Damage

• The bag should not be more than 10% of the child's own weight.  A child weighing 30 Kg should not carry more than 3 Kg on his back.
• Choose a schoolbag with broad, padded straps.  Narrow straps can squeeze nerves or blood vessels, and also chafe the skin.
• Satchels and bags with one strap cause asymmetrical distribution of weight on the spine.  This can lead to long term back pain and other problems.
• The child should always use both straps of the school bag.  Slinging the bag over one shoulder causes spine damage.
• Bend at the knees with the back straight when lifting the bag.  Lift with the legs, not the back.

Strategies to lighten the load

Bags in the good old days were lighter because educational standards were lower, and there were not so many extracurricular activities available.  We can't reduce educational standards or deprive children of their sports and other recreation, but efforts from teachers, school managements, and parents can help to great extent.  

• Provide lockers to children in school.  This will allow them to leave sports equipment, and certain books and notebooks in school.
• Buy two sets of textbooks, and keep one set each in school and at home.  One school that does this has found that parents are very happy, in spite of the additional expense.
• Tell students in advance which books will be needed and which can be left at home.  Some subjects have more than one book, and several notebooks.
• Teach the child to put down the bag when waiting at the bus stop, in the assembly, etc.

To carry backpacks safely, Dr Gart recommends the following tips to kids:
1. Wear no more than 15 per cent of your body weight.

2. Keep backpack use limited to necessities only.

3. Use both straps.

4. Recognize signs that the backpack is too heavy.

5. Select the proper backpack.

6. Pick up the backpack properly.