A New School Year Tip
September is the beginning of the new school year and the time that young bodies have to cope with heavy school bags.These often contain textbooks, sports kit, lunch box, pens, pencils and electronic gadgets, which they carry around all day.
You may find your child begins to complain of shoulder and neck pain. This is because the muscles required to carry a school bag are mostly those in the neck and shoulders, as this is the area where the straps of the bag are commonly supported. The upper fibres of the trapezius – the fan-shaped muscle that fans out across the back, enabling the neck to work in several directions – and the levator scapulae – the long, sinewy muscle at the back and side of the neck that enables the shoulders to shrug – are those most often in need of treatment. They become easily fatigued trying to maintain the body’s centre of gravity while absorbing the weight of a bag.
The spine is vulnerable to heavy loads at the peak age of growth – approximately 13 years for girls and 15 years for boys. This is because it matures at a much slower rate than some of the peripheral bones, therefore it is important not to overload the spine during childhood.
There has been a fair amount of research into children and school bags. A general guideline is that a school bag should be no more that one fifth of the child’s body weight; some medical professions recommend no more than a tenth. Look yourself for telling signs – redness on the skin where straps sit, the ease with which your child lifts the bag – and ask if they feel discomfort or have any feelings of tingling or numbness when carrying the bag.
When it comes to child-friendly bags, we generally advise using a lightweight rucksack. The child does have to use both straps and not have it hanging low on the back, as is the fashion now. Having a waist strap will help distribute the weight through the pelvis. The problem with satchels and bags with a single strap is that these often result in a disparity of weight distribution which requires one shoulder (often the dominant side) to resolve the added weight.
Simple things such as only carrying the bag when necessary is useful – so remind them there’s no point carrying that weight when waiting for the bus! Schools are legally obliged to provide storage for children’s possessions, and storing a heavy bag in a locker reduces the need to carry heavy things around at all times. Also, it’s not a bad idea to get your child to clear out their bag once a week to get rid of things that are of no practical use.
If your child does complain of neck or shoulder pain it is a good idea to take your child to an Osteopath for an assessment as the school bag may not be the only potential source of discomfort. Other factors could be longer lessons in ill-fitting plastic chairs and wrong height tables. Computer use compromises the overall health of the supporting musculoskeletal system and this is where physical activity, such as PE lessons and after-school sports, will also help your child's body cope more efficiently with the demands placed upon it.