School bag and childhood scoliosis: Are they connected?

    A school bag loaded with many books symbolizes the weight of knowledge, serving as an essential tool for every young student. This weight, however, does not need to be transferred to children's small shoulders and spine. The discussion about how harmful overloaded school bags are continues, urging us to find solutions. According to a Harvard Health publication, the continuous pressure from the weight of a bag leads to incorrect habits, such as poor posture, a tendency to slouch, with a long-term risk of even spinal disc compression. For this reason, this essential school accessory should be chosen not for its pleasing appearance, but primarily for its proper design, and should be replaced if damaged. Karen Jacobs, Clinical Professor in the Department of Occupational Therapy at Boston University, President of the American Occupational Therapy Association, and spokesperson for National School Backpack Awareness Day, spoke to Goop about how to deal with the weight of school bags, avoiding back pain and potential physical deformities in children. For Jacobs, the problem with school bags is due to many factors. The size of the bag is often bulkier than the child's body type, and essential adjustable features are also missing from its design.

Characteristics of the correct bag

A proper school backpack should include double-padded shoulder straps, as well as back padding and lightweight, breathable material. Padded shoulder straps are visually wider than the more basic type and can help balance the backpack's weight distribution. The padding in the strap lining helps prevent the "pinching" sensation of the trapezius muscle, which is a more common phenomenon with simple straps.   Because children often walk on poorly lit streets, the backpack should also have a small light or reflectors for better visibility and side pockets. Bags with many small compartments are less desirable because children tend to overstuff their bags with toys or other unnecessary items, making the backpack even heavier than it should be. An additional feature, chest straps or even better, hip straps, distribute the backpack's weight on children's bodies better, as the weight is transferred from the shoulders to the hips, offering better endurance. To better understand when the backpack fits correctly on our child's back, it should sit "like a triangle on their back. The top of the backpack should not be higher than the child's shoulder blades, as we don't want the backpack to rest on their neck. The backpack, especially for young children, should be small enough to fit their backs." No matter how cool and relaxed it may look, carrying a backpack on one shoulder is a very incorrect way to wear it, as it unilaterally burdens one shoulder, leading to intense pain and possibly muscle spasms. Organizing the bag is another effective way to properly distribute the weight. Heavier books should be placed first and towards the middle of the backpack, so they are closer to the body's torso. Regarding the choice of wheeled backpacks, Jacobs warns that parents should first ensure that children will not need to lift them for long periods, for example, carrying them up stairs, risking injury or loading them onto their backs, as they are heavier by design and do not fit properly on their bodies, worsening the situation. In any case, children carrying school backpacks, when they need to stand with the weight for a long time, such as at a bus stop, should remove them from their shoulders for a short break, allowing for a brief rest. Fortunately, the problem of excessive book weight is expected to be solved... digitally. A pleasant consequence of today's new technologies is the use of tablets, gradually introducing digital textbooks and manuals into classrooms, thereby significantly reducing the bulk weight of traditional books.  

Catherine Delahaye/ Getty Images

The culpability of school bags in childhood skeletal problems

Regarding backpack weight, although past research has suggested that it should not exceed 10 to 15% of the child's total weight, new studies do not find a sufficient correlation between the two components, with the appropriate weight differing for each child. For Jacobs, there has not yet been a comprehensive study across an extended geographical area that observes and records the development of children carrying heavy school bags, having set a personal goal to observe children from preschool to college. Therefore, school bags cannot be exclusively blamed for chronic back pain or injuries, as technology and sedentary lifestyles are additional factors that cumulatively contribute to the problem. Specifically, regarding the issue of scoliosis, i.e., the lateral deviation of the spine in a C shape, its causes are usually idiopathic, thus referred to as "idiopathic scoliosis," and are often due to heredity.

Treating back pain and scoliosis

However, as the risk of scoliosis increases during the period of maximum growth, during adolescence, at age eleven for girls and thirteen for boys, it is important to include even a mild form of exercise in their daily routine. Furthermore, it has been observed that young children with back problems experience discomfort in their later adult lives, making it equally necessary to strengthen their muscular system early on with appropriate exercises. Swimming is considered an ideal form of exercise by many, harmoniously and pleasantly working out the body in contact with water, without injuries, strain on the spine and joints, thanks to water buoyancy. More specifically for the treatment of scoliosis, specialized exercises are also recommended, focusing on increasing the mobility of the stiff curved area. For this purpose, strengthening weak muscles with rotational and symmetrical exercises is essential to achieve symmetry and balance in both halves of the back.

Back brace for adults and teenagers

  Knowing that poor posture and slouching over time become a fixed, harmful habit that is not easily changed, Christou1910 created an innovative, orthopedic product for back relief with an "educational" character for both adults and teenagers. The back brace relieves the strained back, keeping the shoulders high and creating a natural stretching sensation, helping the spine, back, and neck to loosen up. Acting daily as a personal trainer for our correct, "proud" posture, the brace prevents the tendency to slouch while walking, standing, or sitting. With skin-friendly materials and soft pads under the armpits, children can wear the brace, even thirty minutes to an hour each day, helping their shoulders and back to relieve discomfort especially after carrying a school bag or long hours of studying at school. Although, as we said, scoliosis is not attributed to specific pathological causes, the brace assists the affected back and restores it to its correct posture, preventing its worsening. Did you know that:

• In our country, according to studies, the weight of a school bag in primary schools ranges from 4 - 7 kg, while in Ireland and America it reaches up to 12 kg. In a recent survey conducted in Italy, the average weight of a school bag for children aged 11 - 12 was 9.3 kg, which is approximately 22% of their body weight. Some children's school bags weighed up to 16.3 kg, almost half their body weight.
• If a school bag is too heavy, it acts as an opposing force that pulls the child backward, forcing them to use their body as a counterweight, changing their posture, slouching or pushing their pelvis forward.

Where to Buy

Find the back brace at selected healthwear corners in stores near you, by entering your address HERE. Buy the back brace online HERE and it will arrive at your doorstep in 1-3 business days!