Many children 'at risk of back pain from school bags'

Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 18/10/2011. Many children 'at risk of back pain from school bags'

Tags: Parenting Kids Health

Carrying school bags that are too heavy could be leading many school children to experience pain in their back.

This is according to chief executive of BackCare Sean McDougall, who stated that because kids' bones are still relatively soft as they are still growing, youngsters should ideally be carrying no more than ten per cent of their body weight over their shoulders.

However, he noted that some children, particularly girls aged around 11, could be hauling around double this limit.

"It gets even worse because in many schools, children carry that weight on one shoulder and increasingly children are carrying their bag in the crevice of their elbow," Mr McDougall added.

Therefore, he suggested it is important kids carry as little weight as possible, ensuring they use both shoulders and carry their bags close to their back when they do so.

Last year, it was stated that the average 12-year-old in Ireland carries a weight of 11.8 kg in their bags, far above the government's recommended maximum of 3.7kg.

Written by Donal Walsh
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Comments

Ted Bradley

(23-10-2011 09:27)

I know the problem however, back pain is not the only health consequence of this issue. Because the bags are so heavy children are not able to walk or cycle to school. Lack of exercise then leads to childhood obesity and osteoporosis in later life. Lastly and most problematic for me is the transport dimension.

I have been trying to start a Facebook campaign on this issue at "lighten the schoolbags" page.

mary

(09-11-2011 11:25)

Just returned from the uk where the children do enough schoolwork during school hours and dont need to carry home heavy bags. If they do need to do some revision they can do it on the computer. laptops should be in use instead of books for all secondary schools we need to move with the times. may i add that the uk has a brilliant system where all school books are free to all children regardless of their means. The educational system in this country is a disgrace and just another way of trying to bankrupt parents.