The number of children reporting back pain and back injuries has increased dramatically in recent years. Heavy kids’ school backpacks and how they are used are the likely culprits in many of these cases.

While backpacks certainly are a helpful tool for managing school books and other supplies, and allow children to carry more than they could in their arms, the problem is that kids are carrying far more than what their bodies can handle.

Additionally, though backpacks are designed to be carried over two shoulders. Many kids and teens prefer to carry the load coolly slung over one shoulder. In doing so, the weight is not distributed as it should be and children’s backs are bearing the burden inefficiently.

The Effects of Heavy School Bags on Children’s Backs

When kids carry heavy packs day in and day out, it causes their body to compensate for their weighty load. It has been found that with time, kids:

• begin to lean forward or sideways throwing off their natural sense of balance
• experience an alteration in the curve of the middle and lower back which increases muscle strain and irritates spinal joints
• develop a rounding of the shoulders and other postural problems• begin to lean forward or sideways throwing off their natural sense of balance
• experience an alteration in the curve of the middle and lower back which increases muscle strain and irritates spinal joints
• develop a rounding of the shoulders and other postural problems

How to Deal with Back Pain & Injury Prevention From Heavy Book Bags

The good news is that there are many things that kids and parents can do to deal with back pain & injury prevention, while kids scurry to class with books and other supplies.

• Make sure the backpack is an appropriate size for the child. Bigger bags encourage overfilling. Note that a backpack should not hang lower than 4 inches below the waist line.
• Backpacks should not account for more than 10% of the child’s body weight.
• Backpacks that feature locking chest clips and/or waist clips improve how the bag is positioned on the body. These clips also encourage children to wear the bag over both shoulders as they were meant to be worn.
• Shoulder straps should be wide, adjustable, and padded.
• Bags with compartments improve how items can be organized, making for a stable load.
• Children should also be taught to stack heaviest items closer to their back with lighter items toward the outside.
• Parents should check regularly to ensure that unnecessary items are not carried in the backpack.
• If access to lockers is limited, parents should also have discussions with the teachers and administration regarding how the weight of bags can be further limited.