With the return to school, thousands of children carry increasingly heavy backpacks filled with textbooks, notebooks, pencil cases, computers, tablets, lunch boxes and water bottles. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) warns that a backpack that is too heavy or poorly fitted can cause health problems in children, but they do not always complain when they start feeling discomfort. It is up to parents to watch for signs such as leaning the trunk forward, difficulty walking normally, or straps that dig too deeply into the shoulders.
The AAP recommends that the backpack should not exceed approximately 15% of the child's body weight. Therefore, a child weighing 30 kilograms should carry a backpack with a maximum weight of about 4.5 kilograms. Sadika Kendi, a specialist in injury prevention cited by Pplware through the Associated Press, warns that there is no single formula for all children, and it is necessary to consider age, physical build, strength, route to school and travel time. The practical recommendation is to keep the load as light as possible.
The internal organization of the backpack also makes a difference. Heavier objects, such as larger books and computers, should be placed in the area closest to the back, and the remaining material distributed across the different compartments. The AAP recommends doing a weekly clean-up of the backpack to remove unnecessary items, such as old papers, unnecessary books or empty bottles. When buying a new backpack, the size should be proportional to the child's height, avoiding backpacks that are too large, which encourage the accumulation of material.
The AAP clarifies that, although heavy backpacks may contribute to back, neck and shoulder pain, there is no evidence that they cause scoliosis or permanent spinal problems. However, a very heavy backpack can increase the consequences of a fall and affect balance. Specialists also recommend that the child bend the knees when lifting the backpack off the floor, always use both wide and padded straps, and remove the backpack before traveling by car so as not to interfere with the seatbelt.
