SPINAL CURVATURE CHANGES ARE INCREASING IN CHILDREN BY CARRYING HEAVY SCHOOL BAGS

SCOLIOSIS (CHANGE IN CURVATURE) PROBLEM INCREASING IN CHILDREN BY CARRYING HEAVY SCHOOL BAGS

School children are at risk of developing back problems because of burdensome backpacks. Growing numbers of children are developing irreversible back deformities because of the weight of the bags they carry to school. Half of all children suffer back pain by the age of 10-14 and doctors are reporting a rise in cases of spinal abnormalities in pupils, including disfiguring curvatures known as scoliosis. 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. 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. To carry a heavy bag, the child has to lean forward. This leads to developing a bad posture. The spine is a stack of bones called the vertebral column with the bones separated by a cartilage called the inter vertebral disk and held upright by the muscles and ligaments around it. The excess weight puts undue stress on the muscles, ligaments and disk thus damaging them. The alignment of the column is also disturbed causing it to bend, mostly forward or sideways.