School Bag Warning!!

As school bags are dusted off in readiness for the 2011 school year, the Chiropractors’Association of Australia (CAA) is warning parents and students about the long term impact of poorly fitted or over loaded backpacks and school bags.

According to Dr Billy Chow, CAA national spokesperson, mounting scientific evidence shows that heavy school bags place unnecessary stress on growing spines and can lead to acute and long-term back problems.
“The fact is, lugging an overloaded school bag to and from school can have long term healthimplications,” Dr Chow warned.

“To minimise the risk, students should limit the weight they carry in a school backpack to no more than 10 per cent of their body weight.
“That’s only around 4-5 kilos for a 40-50kg student and it quickly adds up when you throw in a few text books, pencil case, lunch box and water bottle,” he said.

A survey by CAA in Victoria into the average bag weights of 1,000 children found that almost 50 per cent of students carried bags well over the 10 per cent recommendation.

“Lifting a bag that is too heavy causes immediate strain on the spine,” Dr Chow explained.“The longer a child carries that load, the more severe the damage.“The problem is compounded even further by badly loaded bags, poor posture and the ‘fashion factor’ which dictates the latest trendy way for carrying the bag, which is never in line with the inbuilt ergonomic features.”

And while a wheeled trolley bag may seem like a healthier option, new research comparing backpack and trolley usage amongst six to eight year olds found that the trolley group was characterised by spinal rotation, which could add extra stress to growing backs.

A back’s best bet, according to the CAA is a fitted backpack, worn properly over both shoulders with the waist band done up.

To avoid the back to school backache, the Chiropractors’ Association of Australia recommends:
 Backpacks should be no heavier than 10 per cent of a student’s weight when packed.
 Make sure the backpack is sturdy and appropriately sized – no wider than the student’s chest.
 Put comfort and fit at the top of the priority list, rather than good looks.
 Choose a backpack with broad, padded shoulder straps.
 Use both shoulder straps – never sling the pack over one shoulder.
 Use waist straps attached – they are there for a good reason.
 Don’t wear the backpack any lower than the hollow of the lower back.
 Don’t overload the backpack – use school lockers and plan homework well in advance.
 Place all heavy items at the base of the pack, close to the spine, for a better distribution of the weight.

Find out more school backpack facts at www.chiropractors.asn.au/schoolbackpacks