Beware: The health of boys and girls can be affected if the weight of their backpack is not controlled

In the midst of school starting season, the well-being of boys and girls is essential. That’s why parents or guardians are in charge of providing them with everything they need so that they don’t lack for anything. However, the use of a backpack must be taken into consideration, as filling it with supplies is counterproductive, which is proof of complications in the back in the future.

Through a study conducted by the Biomedical and Occupational Medicine Faculties of the Manuela Beltrán University, it was verified that In Colombia, the childhood population faces excessive loads on their backs due to improper use of school backpacks.

The investigation revealed that a seven-year-old boy or girl puts their spine, shoulders and neck at risk every day because they carry more than 2kg in their suitcase, which is more than the recommended number. Inside the backpack, four basic daily lessons, four notebooks for their classes, a pencil case to store their supplies, a ruler, a pack of colors, a lunch box, and a distraction element for recess (a toy, ball , etc.). ..) others).

Overall, the university indicates that there is approximately 7.5 kg of weight on the back, which represents 23% of a boy’s or girl’s weight. On the other hand, this figure is nothing more than twice the weight of the pillar. That is to say, the back has to exert additional force on what it is able to perform. Along with this, students carry this weight for 400 hours in a year.

A person in this age group can lift a weight of 2 kg. Those who are more than seven years old and up to 17 years old, an estimated 6 kg, From another point of view, Spain’s Kovacs Foundation dedicated to health keeps in its report Campaign for prevention of back pain in school children that, when students reach the age of 15, 51% of boys and 60% of girls have back complications, which are caused by bad habits in their childhood. Although this is a data from Spain, the situation in Colombia is closer to the number.

Researcher Juan Alberto Castillo, member of the ergonomics laboratory of the School of Medicine of the Universidad del Rosario, explains that, during this stage of childhood, Boys and girls are in the process of growth, which means that their muscles and skeletal cortex are in the stage of formation and maturation. The fact of applying an unorthodox weighting to the past sector indicates that this development has changed and has negative implications for the future.

The results are evident in injuries involving the spine; As well as the presence and deformity in the lower back. To the extent that the pathology of ‘backpack paralysis’ often occurs in adolescents, it affects the mobility of the back of the body. The effect can be seen in the way of walking, alignment of the spine and weakness of the legs, due to poor posture.

To prevent this situation from occurring during the start of school and throughout the year, the following recommendations proposed by the Antioquia Family Compensation Fund (Comfama) should be followed in order to choose and use the backpacks correctly.

• It does not exceed 10% of the weight of the minor.
• Make it comfortable and friendly: Here it affects a lot whether the suitcase is comfortable for the student or not. It should have padding on the back, straps long enough to accommodate the shape of the back and arms.
• use it well.
• Pack What’s Necessary: ​​Don’t saturate the backpack with all of the school’s elements, only what will be used that day.

There are also other recommendations:

• It is recommended that the backpack they carry be adapted to their physical conditions, limiting the amount of supplies students can carry.
• You must have pockets and compartments to better organize whatever you have.
• The backrest should be padded and firm for greater comfort and safety.
• As an accessory, the presence of a lumbar belt better distributes the load and thus increases your comfort.
• The backpack should be carried at the proper height, adjusted between the upper and lower back and placed on both shoulders to avoid postural distortions.
• The backpack should be carried at the proper height, adjusted between the upper and lower back and placed on both shoulders to avoid postural distortions.