Charity raises weighty issue of school bags

Published on Friday 4 September 2009 19:45

HEAVY and poorly designed school bags can harm children's backs, a health charity has warned.

BackCare has issued guidelines to help parents at the start of the school year.

The charity said that up to 80 per cent of children carry too much weight in poorly designed bags and in the most harmful way – with the weight resting on just one shoulder.

It warned that carrying too much weight for long periods could put children at risk of future back problems.

BackCare's chief executive, Sash Newman, said: "Factors like badly designed school chairs also contribute to the problem, but back pain is a real problem for some children, causing an estimated 15 per cent to seek medical help.

"It's important for parents to take care over the backpack their child uses for school and try to ensure he or she wears it correctly."

The charity said a loaded backpack should weigh no more than 10 per cent of the child's bodyweight and it should be worn over both shoulders so the weight is distributed correctly.

BackCare said research over the past ten years revealed a significant incidence of recurrent back pain in school children, ranging from 13.1 per cent of younger children being affected and rising to 21.6 per cent – equivalent to adult levels – by age 16.

The charity says up to 80 per cent of the population experiences back pain at some stage in their life and many incidences of adult back pain can be traced to childhood.