Back to School Series….

Top tips for choosing the right school bag

The school summer holidays are finally here but it won’t be long before parents around the country find themselves knee-deep in the back to school chores – stationary purchasing, book-covering, last minute uniform updates. Then there’s the question of what to put in the lunchbox…!

Amongst all the chaos and excitement, we recommend that all parents take a moment to observe and take a look at just how heavy their kid’s backpacks are.

It is generally recommended that children carry no more than 10% of their body weight in their school bags. When a heavy weight (such as a book-stuffed backpack) is incorrectly placed on the shoulders, the weight’s force can pull a child backwards. To compensate a child may bend forward at the hips or arch the back which can cause the spine to compress unnaturally.

There is particular concern for the younger students in secondary schools, as the spine is at a critical stage of development in children between 12 – 14 years of age. This is also the stage at which the bag weight to body weight ratio is likely to be high as some students are still quite small but carry loads similar to larger and older children.

Concerned parents should remember however, that compared with other types of bags, backpacks are, despite potential problems, usually the best choice for children as opposed to fashion bags that are carried over one shoulder (often with a thin, unpadded strap). When used correctly, the strongest muscles in the body – the back and abdominal muscles, support the weight of the packs. If not too heavy and if they are used correctly the weight is then evenly distributed across the body.

The role of Parents:

Poor posture is a big issue particularly in children as they are growing. Unfortunately teaching our children good postural habits requires a certain amount of ‘nagging’ so that our children learn to wear and pack their backpacks correctly. Kids who wear their backpacks over just one shoulder, because it looks ‘cooler’ or feels easier, end up leaning to one side to offset the additional weight. With time these kids are likely to develop lower and upper back pain, and strain their neck and shoulders. It’s important to help them understand the impact of not carrying their school bag correctly and insist they use the waist belt, if their bag has one.

For many parents, the struggle often comes from kids wanting a specific backpack because it features a particular superhero or cartoon character, or teenagers wanting the latest fashion bag but that might not be the healthiest choice. Try using positive language that helps your child understand why the best-designed and best-fitted backpack is the best option in the long run and make sure they are involved in the purchasing decision. Teach children young (as soon as they start nursery school) so that it becomes second nature and they don’t feel self conscious wearing a backpack in the correct way when they get to secondary school. Explain that it’s similar to getting in a car – where you put your seatbelt on and buckle up before driving so when wearing your backpack you fasten your straps and buckle up before walking!

Signs that your child’s school bag is too heavy:

• Changes in your child’s posture when wearing their school bag (stooped or leaning to one side)
• Your child struggles to lift or put their backpack on themselves
• Your child reports discomfort or pain when wearing their backpack
• Your child reports tingling or numbness in their arms.
• The bag leaves red marks on your child’s shoulders when they take it off.

Top 10 Backpack / Schoolbag Safety Tips

Make sure your child’s backpack weighs no more than 10 percent of his or her body weight. For example; a child weighing 35kg should carry a bag no heavier than 3.5kg. A heavier backpack will cause your child to bend forward in an attempt to support the weight on his or her back, rather than on the shoulders, by the straps.

1. Make sure the backpack is sturdy with a reinforced or padded backpiece and is appropriately sized – no wider than the child’s chest.
2. Wide, padded straps are very important. Non-padded straps are uncomfortable and can dig into your child’s shoulders. Use waist straps (if the bag has them).
3. Use both shoulder straps – never sling the pack over one shoulder. Lugging the backpack around by one strap can cause the disproportionate shift of weight to one side, leading to neck and muscle spasms, as well as low-back pain.
4. The straps should be shortened until the bottom of the backpack is just above the child’s waist, and not sitting on their buttocks. The backpack should lie flat on the child’s back.
5. The backpack should never hang more than 10cm’s below the waistline. A backpack that hangs too low increases the weight on the shoulders, causing your child to lean forward when walking.
6. A backpack with individualised compartments helps in positioning the contents most effectively. Make sure that heavy items such as books are placed first into the back compartment so that they are closest to the spine and pointy or bulky objects are packed away from the area that will rest on your child’s back.
7. Bigger is not necessarily better. The more room there is in a backpack, the more your child will carry-and the heavier the backpack will be.
8. If the backpack is still too heavy, talk to your child’s teacher. Use school lockers if available or ask if your child could leave the heaviest books at school, and bring home only lighter hand-out materials or workbooks. Check your child’s bag each day and make sure they are only taking the necessary items for that day.
9. It’s not just how much the back weighs but consider how long your child is wearing their backpack as time spent carrying it could also increase the likelihood of back and neck pain. Only wear the school bag for as long as needed and if stationary (in the playground or waiting for the school bus) take it off and place it on the ground.