Big bags breaking the young backs

MORE OF A burden ? School students start sufferingfrom back pain by the age of 15 which causes spinal abnormality and curvatures
Bag full of books can make a child strong in the legs but weak on the spine. School students start suffering from back pain by the age of 15 which causes spinal abnormality, curvature and musculoskeletal problems.

“Normally, a child should carry a bag which is 10 per cent of their body weight. However, today’s students approximately carry bags that are 25-30 per cent of their weight,” said Dr Subir Jhaveri, a surgeon at Spine Hospital.

According to a study published by Indian Medical Association, heavy school bags can also lead to permanent disability of the skeletal system during puberty.

“As a teenager, when their body bone is developing, excessive load on the back can lead to musculoskeletal problems and premature aging of the spine,” said Dr Dharmesh Shah, a spine surgeon in Ahmedabad.

Moreover, when children carry bags on one shoulder, it puts extra pressure on one side, tilting the spine. “It not only strains one side of the spinal nerves, but also increases the burden of the bag. Hence, it should be carried equally by both shoulders thereby making it comfortable for children walking or climbing stairs,” said Dr Chetan Trivedi, paediatrician and neonatologist.

Bag straps should be adjusted high on the back and close to the spine. Undue stress in the lower part of the spine can damage the muscles, inter-vertebral disks and ligaments. “To compensate the uneven pressure at the alignment of the spinal column, students bend forward and sideways which affects their spine curvatures. Waist straps help to distribute the pressure on the pelvis,” added Trivedi. Stressing the need to address the problem effectively and immediately, doctors said that not many schools provide lockers or desks to store books. Hence, children have no choice but to carry the entire load round the clock.

Of course, schools like St Xavier’s, Riverside, Ahmedabad International schools, however, have already created locker system for students to keep regular books and accessories.

“We started this four to five years back when we found that students carry heavy bags to school every day which becomes tiring and painful. Due to the individual lockers, it could be easier for students to communicate,” said Fr Fernand Durai, principal of St Xavier’s High School, Loyola.

Moreover, pupils were becoming vulnerable to back problems due to increasing inactivity, explained Trivedi. They spend more time playing computer games and watching TV which affects the overall development of the muscles and in future, they succumb to various spinal and orthopaedic ailments.