CAA National President Dr Dennis Richards says 'Our children are regularly carrying bags far greater than the recommended load of 10% of body weight. Research conducted by the Association's Victorian branch found an astonishing 46% of children carry bags in excess of the recommendation with 12% carrying up to 20% of their body weight. Combine this with contributing effects of poor posture and the results are disturbing.'

Backpacks should be worn so that the weight is distributed between the hips and the shoulders.

Dr Richards added, 'as children's spines are growing and developing, it is vitally important to prevent stress and dysfunction as a result of poorly designed schoolbags. Incorrectly carrying a school bag can interrupt the natural curve of the spine resulting in strain of the shoulders and neck, even the hips can be pulled over to one side.'

Tips to prevent back pain from school bags

• Plan ahead. Don't let kids carry lots of equipment at the same time, like sports gear, musical instruments or art materials.
• Consider more than looks when choosing a school bag. An ill-fitting backpack can cause back pain, muscle strain, or nerve impingement.
• Make sure the backpack is sturdy and appropriately sized; packs have varying back lengths and widths so they do not slip around during movement.
• Look for backpacks with wide, padded shoulder straps which ergonomically contour to the child's body, additional waist or chest straps will help keep the load close to the body and help maintain proper balance. The bag should never be wider than chest width and the backpack should not be any lower than the hollow of the lower back.
• Encourage your child to use both shoulder straps and never sling the backpack over one shoulder.
• The proper maximum weight for loaded backpacks should not exceed 10% of the child's body weight.

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