School Bag Syndrome

We often see children coming with complaints of back/neck/shoulder pain to our clinic, which has become common due to “School Bag Syndrome”. Nowadays we see many children carrying heavy school bags. It’s important to understand how simple changes can make a huge difference in today’s electronic world.

One of the important “health” changes that have happened during the last few years is change in the work load for students and so also change in the weight of school bags.

Heavy school bags can change the body posture and the musculoskeletal system must react appropriately in order to compensate for this stress. Some cool kids would always carry their bags on one shoulder. But doing that or lifting the bag improperly can lead to complications. Repeating these activities every day can damage the spine and cause permanent structural deformities.

Also, other factors like your posture while sitting for study,over use of cellphones/tablets/I pads is a severe stressor that needs to be addressed. This strains the muscles and in turn pushes the body to go into unnatural posture alignment.

What is the School Bag Syndrome?

School bag syndrome is the physical and emotional impacts that kids experience due to the weight of their school bags. It can severely affect the health of growing children. If your child is experiencing any of the following, then he/she maybe suffering from the school bag syndrome:

Pressure overhead
Shoulder blades pain
Neck pain
Dizziness
Shoulder pain
Arm numbness
Back pain

Children might not show the symptoms or experience pain straightaway, in the long term they are developing imbalances in body.

What are short term effects?

Initial effects include spinal stress & possible pain and discomfort due to soft tissue damage.

What are long term effects?

Imbalances in posture, spinal deformity, changes in muscular system.

Tips to reducing spinal stress caused by book bags:

Load your bags to a maximum of 10% to 15% of the total body weight of the person.
Use both shoulder straps that are padded and adjusted properly above waist.
Educating correct lifting techniques – which is bending at the knees and then lifting.
Participate in a regular exercise program to maintain strong and ﬂexible back and trunk musculature.
Children should carry the bag in a way that it stays 2-3 inches above the waist.
Physiotherapist help manage musculoskeletal discomfort & guides with posture management.

To find out more & let your child understand the importance of it at early age, contact our child friendly staff at –

Pooja Physiotherapy & Health Care Center

Blk 77 Indus road #01-521S’160077

Call now@ 6384 5452 or Whatsapp@ 8322 3371 or
drop an email at info@physiopooja.com.sg