School bag and back pain, causes and solutions
From kindergarten to high school, through our first job or a big trip, we carry our lives in our backpacks. But if there is one period of life where the backpack is often too heavy, it is during school.
For years, parents and specialists have been concerned about the weight of students' school bags, at all levels.
So, should we be worried? Can a too heavy school bag irreparably harm a child's health? That's what we'll see in this article.
What are the main causes of lower back pain in children?
Before we go any further, it is important to take stock of back pain in children and adolescents. Indeed, it is easy to too quickly link a too heavy school bag with back pain. Let's first look at the main causes of lower back pain in children.
Among the most common causes of lower back pain, which can occur separately or together, we can mention:
- Muscle fatigue, injury, or overuse
- Physical activity such as running or jumping
- Imbalances or weakness in core muscles
- Higher body mass index (BMI), which may indicate overweight or obesity
Back pain can also have an impact on other muscles, causing problems such as tight hamstrings and weak abdominal muscles, especially in adolescents.
While you might be tempted to blame lower back pain on a heavy backpack or poor posture, lower back pain often does not have a single culprit. In fact, a study could not find a specific cause of back pain in 78 out of 100 children.
Instead, many things that children do every day can contribute to lower back pain. Spending a lot of time watching TV and doing too much sport can create or worsen back pain. The increased roundness of the back that can occur in a slouched sitting position is a frequent cause of pain in the mid or thoracic spine rather than in the lower back.
But obesity, family history, and sedentary lifestyle are also possible risk factors for lower back pain in children. Many things that your child or adolescent does almost every day - including carrying a backpack - can worsen this lower back pain.
In most children and adolescents, back pain symptoms are transient and improve without treatment. Research shows that about half of all adolescents with back pain heal on their own.
4 ways to help your child avoid back pain caused by a heavy backpack
Pay attention to the signals that announce back pain
Tingling, numbness, red marks, a change in posture when your child wears a backpack, and difficulty putting it on or taking it off are all signs that the backpack is too heavy. A child's backpack should not weigh more than 15% of their body weight to avoid back pain.
Choose the right backpack for your child
To lighten the weight on the shoulders, choose a quality backpack made of lightweight material, with padded and adjustable straps at least 5 cm wide, with individual compartments and a padded back.
To evenly distribute the weight, you need to organize the backpack. The heaviest items should be placed in the center of the back. If the backpack has one, use the hip or waist belt. Using a backpack with wheels will also help prevent back pain, but first check if your child's school allows it.
Make sure your child wears the backpack correctly
Using both straps is essential to avoid back pain. Make sure they are tight so that the backpack is close to the body and is 5 cm above the waist. Having good posture while carrying and taking off a heavy backpack is also essential. In doing so, you should always bend using both knees and avoid leaning. Another sign that your child's backpack is too heavy is if they have to lean forward to walk. Always walk with a straight back when carrying a backpack.
Are there long-term effects of carrying a heavy backpack?
The good news is that no study has ever shown that carrying a too heavy backpack leads to more problems later in life or the development of problems such as herniated discs or scoliosis. It just hurts at the time.
The bad news is that children who have headaches, back pain, and anxiety often complain of the same symptoms later in adulthood.
We can't always blame too heavy backpacks
A sedentary lifestyle is probably the most important factor in determining back pain in schoolchildren. Lack of physical activity contributes to the loss of muscle strength and tone in the lower back. Students who complain of back pain after carrying their backpacks often complained of pain before carrying them.
Studies report that back pain in children is often more related to psychosomatic factors and the daily experience of back pain than to the use of a backpack. Children described as "sedentary" or feeling tired while carrying their backpacks during the usual 10-minute walk between the bus and class had more back pain than children who described themselves as "fit or active".
Conclusion
For all parents, here is the obvious conclusion: as long as all books are not 100% online, students will carry heavy backpacks to and from school. So remember that the maximum weight of the school bag is 10% of body weight, never more than 20%. And children, stay fit and get off the couch.
