Backpack Checklist

The little ones are going back to school. Check their backpack to make sure it is kind to their back. Back pain and back problems in adults often result from activities in childhood. One example is carrying a heavily loaded backpack for more than twelve school years.

According to an international study, carrying a backpack every day is a common cause of discomfort among schoolchildren. Notably, 79.1% of the children felt that their school bag was heavy. In addition, 65.7% said the bag caused fatigue and 46.1% said it caused back pain.

Back-to-school checklist:

• Weight Children should not carry a backpack that, when full, weighs more than 10% of their body weight. This golden rule also applies to adults. Backpacks that are too heavy can compress the spine in an unnatural way, rather than allowing the back and abdominal muscles to distribute the weight evenly across the spine.

• Position The backpack should not be worn below the curve of the lower back. Wearing it lower places greater pressure on your child’s shoulders and causes them to lean forwards to compensate for the extra load.

• Shoulder straps Choose a backpack with wide, padded shoulder straps. Thin, unpadded straps will dig into your child’s shoulders. Always use both shoulder straps to help prevent neck and muscle cramps and lower-back pain. Use the accompanying hip straps too, if present. Always check that the straps are adjusted correctly so the backpack continues to fit well as your child grows.

• Size The bag should be the right size—no wider than the child’s chest. Do not choose an oversized bag, as your child will be tempted to put more things in it.
• Tip: Place all heavy items at the bottom of the backpack, close to the spine, for better weight distribution. Large and pointed objects such as lunch boxes, pencils or rulers should be positioned away from your child’s back. Choose a backpack with separate compartments so you can organise the contents as efficiently as possible.