Heavy backpacks ‘heavily’ affecting youth

A backpack stuffed with a coat, a pencil pouch, several notebooks and folders, along with other school supplies.

“It’s the heavy weight that never gets taken off my shoulders.” Said Annie O., a seventh grade student at Frost Middle School. She was not expecting the middle school workload to be so heavy.- literally 

 

Carrying around heavy backpacks puts pressure on kids shoulders and spines. They also worsen posture and cause muscle strain. However, this has been a necessary sacrifice for students if they want to pass all of their classes.

 

The problem is that carrying all these heavy loads  throughout many years of students’ lives can lead to long term pain and musculoskeletal problems. Backpacks will also make students’ bodies lean backwards and this position can lead to back and neck pains in the future.

 

“Spanish gives me the most paper homework. [In] Spanish, we’re constantly having so many projects and worksheets that pile up in my backpack and increase the workload.” Said Will J., an eighth grade student whose teachers don’t give a lot of digital homework.

 

Although other schools have to deal with the pain of heavy backpacks, this affects Frost students much more than other students because of construction. With no lockers available at the school and student classes located far apart, students are left with back pains a lot more than students at other schools.

 

“I liked having lockers,” said Ellery C., an eighth grade student with prior locker experience at her old school in California, “they allow you to remove weight from your back.”

Some students, such as seventh-grader Ahavi S. think it would be a better idea just to bring laptops to school and not have any paperwork. Certain teachers are putting in effort to make that a reality.

 

To minimize the pains associated with heavy backpacks, many health organizations, such as Harvard Health, advise students to choose backpacks that will distribute the weight across your body. 

 

Harvard also says to choose a backpack that only goes a few inches below the waist  in order to make sure it’s not too big for you. 

 

Minimize the load inside your backpack and only take what’s necessary and make sure to carry your backpack with both straps to keep your back intact.

Backpacks are a struggle for students everyday, but thankfully school work is going mostly digital these days. Even so, there will usually always be some classes that hands out paper work , and backpacks will continue to be an annoyance and a problem. We hope this article helps with lightening your load.