Choosing the Right School Bag

How To Guide: Choosing the Correct School Bag for your Child

 

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DID YOU KNOW: Australian studies have found that poor fitting backpacks that are heavily loaded can lead to postural problems causing neck and back pain in children, which could lead to permanent spinal damage in later life?

 

Back pain is more frequently a condition we associate with growing older, but there Is a growing number of children reporting back pain and discomfort. Risks that can be involved in carrying a heavy or incorrectly fitted school bag include:

  • Muscle strain
  • Distortion of the natural ‘S’ curve of the spine
  • Rounding of the shoulders

Why not take the proactive step to protecting your child’s spinal health?

 

Here are some easy steps and handy tips for you to follow to ensure your child’s school bag is properly fitted:

CHOOSE THE RIGHT BACK PACK:

  • A light weight bag so it doesn’t add extra weight and load
  • Appropriate for your child’s size – don’t choose one that they will ‘grow into’. However, you may need to re-adjust the shoulder straps as your child grows
  • A padded back providing comfort and back support that adjusts to the back of your child. The padding also ensures sharp objects don’t poke through
  • Two, wide adjustable shoulder straps and a waist belt to allow weight to be distributed more evenly across the body. A chest strap may further allow this
  • Multiple compartments for a more even distribution of weight

 

HOW TO FIT YOUR SCHOOL BAG:

  • The bottom of the bag should sit on or just below your child’s hips, but not too low that it hangs over their buttocks
  • The top of the back pack should sit no more than 3cm higher than their shoulders, so they can tilt their head back without hitting the top of the bag
  • The back pack should be no wider than your child’s chest
  • The shoulder straps should be tight enough that the bag is held against the torso, without digging into their underarms
  • If the bag features a waist strap it should sit just below the bony part of your child’s waist. This allows some of the bags weight to be taken by the hips rather than the back and shoulders

 

HANDY TIPS WHEN PACKING YOUR CHILD’S SCHOOL BAG:

  • Plan ahead to limit your child’s load so they are not carrying more than what is needed
  • Your child should never carry more than 10% of their body weight for an extended period of time
  • They should always wear their bag over two shoulders. They should also be educated on the risks of musculoskeletal pain associated with wearing their bag slung over one shoulder
  • Pack heavier items closest to the spine