Australian kids are at risk of permanently damaging their growing spines because their schoolbags are too heavy.
The Australian Physiotherapy Association (APA) found that 70 per cent of children are at risk of long-term spinal problems thanks to overloaded or ill-fitting bags.
APA Queensland chairwoman Nicole Haynes told The Courier Mail bad backpacks could cause back, neck and shoulder pain, muscle strain and joint injuries, general fatigue and poor posture which could last long into adulthood.
To protect your child’s back, their backpack should:
Weigh no more than 10 per cent of your child’s weight
Sit just above the waist
Be no wider than your child’s chest
Have two wide, padded, adjustable straps over the shoulder
Have a hip or waist strap
Have a padded back
Have separate compartments to keep weight equally distributed
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