Weighed down?

wellbeing

It is, now, an established fact that children carrying cumbersome school bags are more susceptible to back pain, spine misalignment and strain injury of the neck. Doctors are witnessing a paradigm shift in the age group that is suffering from backaches and other ‘adult’ orthopedic problems. As parents, it’s prudent to ensure that your child doesn’t make the common mistakes vis-a-vis his school bag.

ShoulderCarrying a heavy or uneven school bag leads to an imbalance in posture. Due to constant load and pressure, the muscles and nerves near the child’s neck are likely to be severely strained.

BackIf your child carrys a heavy school bag on a regular basis, he is prone to soft tissue injuries. If the bag weighs more than 2 kgs, he is sure to complain of muscle pain and spine problems.Neck

When the school bag is heavy, the child’s neck naturally leans forward, away from the load, causing tension on one side of the neck and compression on the other.

LegsCarrying a heavy bag  alters the child’s gait, hampering the smooth functioning of the skeletal system.
Remember:
The ideal weight of your child’s school bag should be between 1.5 -1.8 kgs. The bag should be carried on both shoulders to ensure proper weight distribution on the neck, shoulder and back.

(The author is an orthopedic surgeon, Indraprastha  Apollo Hospital, New Delhi)