Categories: Education & Reference

Heavy School Bags Pose Health Risks for Children

Whether your child is carrying a backpack or trolley 

school bag to school, don’t you think that he needed

 to lighten his school bag’s weight?

 

Several survey studies on 500 pupils in a local school

 had shown that pupils had been lugging between 

5-12 kg ( 11 lbs – 26 lbs ) of weight to school everyday.

This is 2-3 times more than the actual 

weight for a pupil to bear the weight of a school bag.

Physiotherapists advise is whether you are a pupil, a

 student or an adult, the ideal weight of your 

backpack should not exceed 10% of your weight.

 

In other words, if you child weighs 20kg ( 44 lbs ) ,

 10% of his weight equals to 2kg ( 4.4 lbs ) of the 

schoolbag’s weight. 

However, he is currently carrying 5-7 kg of 

school bag and additional of hand carrying bag of 

1kg, to school daily!

 

Disadvantages of heavy school bags

#1  Three quarters of the 500 pupils who had participated

 the survey admitted that their heavy school bags had

 given them lower back pain and shoulder aches.

 

 

#2 

One quarter of them felt fatigue, tired and exhausted 

by the time they had reach their individual classroom 

which is on the 1st or 2nd floor of the school building. 

Only 1st year pupils are located at the ground floor

 ( age 7 years old ).

#3 

Spinal problems, shoulder pain and muscle spasms 

occur after a period of time lugging heavy schoolbags

 daily to school. 

#4. 

When a pupil had to haul his backpack forward in

 order to bear the weight of heavy books, his back 

and spine will turn into a hunch back. 

I could see my son’s reddish neck which his school 

bag’s shoulder sling had caused rashes and rough 

abrasions.

#5. 

School pupils often had falls when other pupils from

 the back pushed them forward in rush hours

 ( especially when school ends- time to go home )

#6. 

Legs injuries, sprained ankles, broken lips and teeth

 due to a fall that the pupil hit on the ground or

 objects had posed serious problems to teachers and 

parents.

#7. 

Related Post

Pupils had to consume more food in order to carry the

 weight of the heavy school bags. 

Without sufficient energy, a pupil may not have the

 strength to concentrate during school lesson, failing

 to catch up with teacher’s guidance.

 

Hence, to the Ministry of Education, all the teachers 

and headmasters in primary school, please be lenient

 on your pupils back and school bag’s weight.

They are still growing children, they are suppose to 

enjoy schooling, the joy of learning different subjects,

 activities and interacting with different races of

 friends in school.

However, right now, they are becoming coolies, 

carrying heavy school bags  loaded with thick text 

books, exercise books, worksheet books to school. 

 

In Western countries, outdoor activities are much

 important than academic studies.

 

Books are lessen, being replace with computers, 

online learning and homework are reduced too.

 

Why is it necessary for pupils to carry so many text

 books to school? 

Why can’t the teacher allow pupils to store the text

 books in the class cupboard or locker which are 

required to study daily?

School timetable had preset 6 subjects per day which 

has not included the musical instrument activities and

 outdoor activities. 

Can imagine bringing along badminton racket,

 basketball, recorder (flute), guitar to add more weight

 to the school bag?

 

Those of you parents who have schooling kids, what 

do you think of the problems posed to your kids?

 

Do share with me your opinion.

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  • peachpurple

    View Comments

    • Kids do not have to carry such heavy load if schools organise their day to day studies. We followed a time table and only took those books that were required to follow that table.

    • Not a student but have observed many students carrying too many items in their backpacks. Not healthy for their backs. What intriguing piece of information supplied here. There should be lighter loads so that children aren't straining their backs.

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