Child back pain 'linked to school bags'

One in four children have back problems because of heavy school bags, according to The Daily Telegraph.

The story is based on a Spanish study of over 1,400 schoolchildren. It found that over half the children had backpacks exceeding 10% of their body weight. The study also found that those carrying the heaviest backpacks had a 50% higher risk of back pain than those carrying the lightest, and a 42% higher risk of diagnosed back problems, although this last result was not statistically reliable.

While the weight of schoolbags can be a concern to parents, this particular research has several limitations that make its results questionable. In particular, it did not properly take account of other factors which might contribute to back problems in children, including a sedentary lifestyle and poor muscle tone.

Surveys done in the UK have found that nearly half of all teenagers have had occasional backache from poor posture, carrying overloaded bags and leading a sedentary, unhealthy lifestyle. Children should wear a well-designed backpack and be encouraged to exercise regularly, which will improve their muscle tone.

I can from feeling the weight of my sons school bag when he attended that is was well over the "safe" weight

Who can I sue?

What a load of old tosh. We had just as much to carry in our schooldays... perhaps more, as it was all heavy text books in those days. I think the 'sedentary lifestyle' they mention has far more to do with it. Slumped over a Playstation for so many hours can't be good for the back.

sitting at computers.playing on xbox etc ect is probably doing more harm than carrying a few books to school x

The amount of stuff children are expected to carry to school is way too much, its not a backpack they need but a suitcase. My children regularly take a backpack and various carrier bags with a combined weight that is clearly too much for young children to be carrying.

Why do kids still need so many books? when a small usb stick would be enough! Why don't schools use PDF like the real world?

I was horrified at the amount my grandson takes to school on his bike . it is very dangerous.
they no longer have a desk of their own to hoard stuff in. they do have a lockers but those are also crammed full .
no wonder most kids get taken to school in a car.