Buy the perfect back pack for school

On the first day of school, nothing tugs at a mothers heart strings more than seeing their precious preschooler toddle off to big school with a massive back pack on their tiny back. But did you know that a recent Australian Spine Journal study found the weight of the average school back pack is heavier - proportionally - than the legal load-carrying limits for adults?

What's more, the same study found 79.1 per cent of school children say their school back pack feels heavy and 65.7 per cent felt fatigued by the weights they were carrying around.

And with nearly half the studied children reporting back pain caused by the school back pack, it's worth knowing how to buy a bag that will save your child's back from any problems.

Buy the right kind of school bag

The very best thing a parent can do to give their child the best bag for school, without risking pain or physical problems is to:

• Buy the right kind of backpack
• Make sure it is packed correctly
• Show your child correct lifting and carrying techniques.

A backpack is definitely a better option than a traditional schoolbag with handles, which is difficult to carry and easily becomes heavy. Children should wear the back pack across both shoulders, and not carry only on one side.

Back pack selection criteria for school children

There is an abundance of bags on the market and price is not necessarily an indicator of quality:

• Don't try to save money by buying the biggest backpack you can find - make sure the backpack is appropriate to your child's size.
• The backpack should weigh less than 10 per cent of your child's body weight – for example, a child of 30kg should carry less than 3kg in their backpack.
• Choose a backpack with a moulded frame and preferably an adjustable hip strap, so that the weight of the filled backpack will rest on your child's pelvis instead of their shoulders and spine.
• The shoulder straps should be adjustable, and the rear of the backpack padded for comfort.
• To help with packing, the backpack should have a few separate compartments.
• Canvas backpacks are lighter than leather varieties.
• Consider buying a backpack with built-in wheels so the bag can be dragged along when it's too heavy to put on a back.
• Children are fashion conscious and vulnerable to peer pressure, so make sure you take your child with you when buying their backpack. If the style you choose is 'uncool', your child may compensate by carrying the backpack in a 'cool' way, such as over one shoulder.

Packing the school bag for safety

A school bag should never weigh more than 10 to 20 percent of a student's body weight, because when it does injury can occur. Some parents and teachers are noticing that children are straining under the weight of their school bags. In addition to carrying school books, kids are carrying clothes, water bottles, notepads, calculators, lunches and many other things that can make a school bag evolve into something that is a danger to health.

To pack a back pack correctly and make sure children look after their spines, try these tips:

• Pack the heaviest items so they are closest to the child's back. If the heaviest items are packed further away, this throws out the child's centre of gravity and causes unnecessary back strain.
• Make sure that items can't move around during transit, as this could upset your child's centre of gravity - use the backpack's compartments.

Correct lifting and carrying techniques for school back packs

Adjust the shoulder straps so that the bottom of the backpack is just above the child's waist - don't allow them to wear the backpack slung low over their buttocks.

When fitted correctly, the backpack should contour snugly to the child's back, rather than hang off their shoulders.

• Your child should lift the backpack with a straight back, using their thigh muscles. The backpack should be lifted with both hands and held close to the body. Slip an arm through one shoulder strap, and then the other.
• If your child has to lean over, their backpack is too heavy, incorrectly fitted or wrongly packed.
• Make sure your child understands that carrying the backpack over one shoulder will cause back pain and potential injury.

Other ways to reduce the load carried by your child include:

• If your child insists they need to bring home more books than they can comfortably carry, see their teacher.
• Consult with your child's school about limiting the weight of children's schoolbags.
• Regularly clean out the backpack, since your child may be storing unneeded items.
• Regularly ask your child if their backpack is causing fatigue or pain. If so, lighten the load and adjust the fittings.
• Plan ahead - don't carry lots of equipment at the same time, like sports gear, musical instruments or art materials
• Pack the heaviest items - such as your laptop - closest to the body and the lighter, softer items further out.

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This article was written by Alex Brooks for Kidspot, New Zealand's leading Back To School Resort, from sources including Better Health and the Australian Physiotherapy Association

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