How Heavy Backpacks May Contribute to Scoliosis in Kids

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Highlights:

• Heavy backpacks can cause serious back pain and posture issues in children
• Recommended backpack weight should not exceed 15% of a child's body weight
• Proper lifting techniques and backpack design can help prevent spinal problems

Many schools have noted that cases of back complications especially among young school children are mainly caused by the weight which they carry in their backpacks. Regarding the consequences of using such backpacks, one cannot fail to mention that these backpacks place huge pressure on the musculoskeletal system of a child, which, in turn, may lead to severe problems of health (1^✔).

The Growing Concern Among Children

School children who are most at risk are the ones in the ages ranging from 6 to 16 years since the carrier weight affects them most. As a result, an Orthopedic and Spine Surgeon has revealed that back pain is newly emerging in school-age children. They had assumed that as many as 8 out of every 10 children may one day find themselves suffering from back pain that could be blamed on a school bag, with symptoms that include numbness and tingling to redness on the shoulders.

‘Did You Know?
8 in 10 children may suffer from back pain due to heavy backpacks! #medindia #backpain’

It is advised that a child's backpack should weigh not more than 15% of the child's body weight. Delhi government in 2018 had made laws regulating weights of the school bags to minimize the health impacts.

Impact on Posture and Spine Health

Carrying a heavy backpack generates wrong posture and uneven, hunched, rounded shoulders, neck, and shoulder pains. If bags are carried in a single shoulder, they may hang unequal parallel to the ground, curve the spine in the process, which could lead to scoliosis strongly associated with an abnormal sideways curvature of the spine in the form of the letter �S' and �C'.

In an interview with a Spine Surgeon, he notes that sitting posture in the classroom, and frequent use of electronic gadgets also causes back pain in children.

First, parents are said to ensure that the backpack weight is correct for the child's age and size. The physician also emphasizes proper nutrition for the child, especially encouraging the intake of foods rich in vitamin D and calcium. Back care at home and school must be maintained, and parents should seek medical advice if they have any signs of back problems.

Preventive Tips

To mitigate back pain and to maintain spine health, experts offer several practical tips:

• Proper Lifting Techniques: Kids should bend their legs not the back while lifting a heavy backpack.
• Weight Distribution: Small and heavy items must be put closer to the base and in the middle of the backpack to achieve a balanced weight circumstance.
• Backpack Design: Opt for bags that have wide shoulder straps, multiple pockets in the bag and with waist belts to reduce the pressure on the spine.
• Posture Awareness: A child should not have a curve or lean forward/ backward when walking with a backpack, and his or her spine should be erect.
• Regular Exercise: Flexibility and exercises should be an important component of back pain identification and elimination.

Over the years, cases of children developing back pains caused by the excessive weight of backpacks is on the rise and it is one of the areas that parents, teachers, and doctors must pay pay much attention. Thus, by following optimal weight requirements and special standing and sitting position as well general health standards the issues relating to spine health could be minimized in the long run. One of the ways by which back pain in children can be dealt with as it emerges is by adopting features such as regular checkups and physiotherapy.

Reference:

1. Backpacks and Back Pain in Children - (https:spinehealth.org/article/backpacks-back-pain-children/)

Source: Medindia

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