I just learned of a report that came out last year, but pertains to my family closely.
Children ages 9-20 carry backpacks to school on a daily basis.
If you have ever lifted one, you probably noticed how heavy they are.
I knew that.
What I didn't know is that six out of ten kids complain of having some kind of back pain.
I would rather avoid the guilt of causing them a slipped disc at an early age.
Guidelines by occupational therapists recommend to have no more than 15% of the child's body weight on their back.
For my skinny, dancing nine year old, that's a only a couple of books.
To prevent back ache as an adult is hard enough, requiring a daily routine of short strengthening exercises and stretches to keep the body limber and strong.
Even though it only takes a few minutes, it does require a lot of discipline.
To ruin a child's back by simply sending them to school with a heavy back pack is something we should all look into.
If you have children, the simple act of packing their bags together the evening before will lighten their load in the morning, plus give you a few more minutes to find out more about their education.
Tonight I am weighing their bags, and if found too heavy, it's time for one of the greatest inventions of mankind...
wheels.
They can wheel their backpacks around.
A simple adjustment like that can save them a lifetime of misery.
Especially, if they want to look cool and only wear the backpack on one shoulder with one strap, which will contort their bodies, and lead their bodies into a imbalanced posture and be the cause of a slipped disc.
How's your back?