Publish dateMonday 9 April 2012 - 17:31
Story Code : 39515
Heavy backpacks can cause irreversible back problems
Children, who carry overloaded and heavy backpacks are more likely to develop painful and irreversible back deformities and injuries, warn Spanish researchers.

According to a report published in the Archives of Disease in Childhood, a large number of kids risk their health by carrying school bags weighing 10 to 15 percent of their body weight Press TV reported.

The study which involved 1,403 children between the ages of 12 and 17 revealed that 61.5 percent of teenagers regularly carried bags that exceeded 10 percent of their own body weight, the highest recommended limit by experts.

Almost a fifth of the studied kids also carried rucksacks that exceeded 15 percent of their body weight, said Dr. Alberto Ruano Ravina of the University of Santiago de Compostela.

That is while more than a quarter of the study participants said they had experienced back pain on more than 15 days during the previous 12 months.

“Children’s skeletons are still growing so carrying heavy bags can cause lasting damage,” said Sean McDougall of the charity BackCare. “Many are carrying their bags on one shoulder or are increasingly carrying them on the crook of their elbow, so are placing a great strain on the spine.”

“If children are getting back pain so young, then there is the potential they will have it for the next 70 to 80 years, which leads to an enormous physical and emotional cost,” he warned.

Lead researcher Dr. Ravina believes that these problems can be easily avoided by supervising contents of schoolchildren’s backpacks.

“We have found that on many occasions they carry to school unnecessary materials,” he said.

“Parents should insist that their children pack their bags only with what they need for the next day and ensure that they are worn on both shoulders.”

Source : Afghan Voice Agency (AVA), International Service
https://avapress.com/vdcenn8x.jh8ozik1bj.html
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