There’s so much to think about at the start of a new term. You’ve organised uniform, new shoes, new teachers, new friends but what about their school bag?
At Cheadle Osteopathy in Stockport we care about sharing our knowledge with you to help you to help your kids. We want to invest in their health and help to prevent unnecessary future problems.
We all want the best start for our kids in life. This is why it’s so concerning for parents (and us Osteopaths alike) that 10% of pre-teens and 50% of 15-16 year olds complain of back pain. Many of those underlying issues can start as early as primary school age.
Sitting, more sedentary lifestyles are important factors but so are heavy school bags.
Children can carry a lot in their school bags. Text books, water, packed lunches and sports kits can all be quite heavy, it all adds up!
Did you know….?
A typical school bag, including sports kits can add up to 7kg – that’s 14 bags of sugar!
So how heavy is too heavy when it comes to your Child’s school bag?
So how do you minimise or prevent issues related to heavy school bags?
Every child is different so the best thing to do is to weigh your child and weigh their bag. The weight of the bag shouldn’t exceed 10% of the child’s body weight.
Ideally the bag should have two wide shoulder straps. They should be tight enough to hold the bag closely against your child’s spine, with the base of the bag at waist level. More petite children need smaller, slimmer bags.
Keep the bag small, only big enough for what they actually need, to avoid the temptation to over fill.
How to correctly pack your Child’s school bag:
• Packing the bag: Place the empty bag on a table. Put the heaviest items at the back of your child’s bag so that they will sit closest to their spine once they put the bag on. Other items should be loaded in descending weight as you move from the back (against their spine) to the front of the bag.
- When the back is loaded leave it on the table whilst they put both arms through the straps before they lift it.
• Re pack the bag every night to ensure they are only carrying what’s required for each day (this includes handbags and work bags too for parents).
If you would like more advice on choosing, packing or adjustment of your child’s school bag, please contact us, you osteopaths in Stockport and we would be happy to assist.
We advise that all children, especially those entering the teenage years or rapid growth, have a structural check up every six months. Just like going o the dentist, we can help to spot any problems early and get you children off to the best start in life.
Book online or call us on 0161 4781877
