High school students are stuck with the weight of the world on their shoulders – quite literally. All of them confine their supplies in a backpack: a simple act with potentially dangerous long-term effects.
A study conducted at Harvard Medical School shows about 70 percent of kids carry backpacks heavy enough to potentially cause long-term back issues. Another study from the National Library of Medicine found that even a backpack at 15 percent body weight leaves users prone to discomfort and pain.
The Prowler’s staff weighed their backpacks to see just how much they carried in a typical school day. The five editors carry an average of 17.24 pounds. Feature editor senior Alex Eydenberg’s bag was the heaviest at 26.4 pounds.
(Potentially cut) How could any given bag be so hefty? A computer is only about three pounds, a notebook x, and the average textbook five. Most math classes will need a textbook, rhetoric calls for two paperbacks, and a multitude of other classes need specific materials. Some students may need four notebooks, two textbooks, and their computer. That is even before a computer charger, a folder, pencils and other essentials are added.
“I would say my backpack is pretty heavy,” sophomore George Burden said. “Sometimes that alone can make the days seem longer.”
An Ozark Orthopedics study shows that when a person carries a backpack, it can put a force about 7.2 times the weight of the backpack on the spine, increasing to 11.6 times if the person is slumped forward. This stress on the spine can result in back pain.
The human spine isn’t straight, but more of an “S” shape. By wearing a backpack, it pushes the spine out of alignment and creates pressure in more areas than just downwards, causing pain, strains in the shoulder and neck, and even functional scoliosis, or an unnatural sideways spinal curve.
“My lower back hurts the most at the end of the day,” senior Diego Gracia said. “Especially on the days I have to walk home, it weighs down on you pretty quick.”
The Mayo Clinic credits musculoskeletal injuries, flexibility problems and premature osteoarthritis as causes for long-term back pain, all of which can be caused by a heavy backpack.
What can be done to combat potential long-term damage? Fortunately, there are a few solutions. For one, students can easily lighten their load. For example, using a three-subject notebook instead of three individual ones or carrying a bulky textbook only on days when needed.
“I have a five-subject notebook and only one folder,” Gracia said. “It’s helped to make my bag a bit lighter, but I have to make sure to stay organized.
A student also could wear the bag properly, like not throwing it over one shoulder. By doing this, their weight is evenly distributed and improves posture.
“I immediately saw a difference when I stopped using only one strap,” Burden said. “I had a lot less back pain, but it was still there to some degree.”
Padded straps on many backpacks, and even waist straps can correct stress on the back. Harvard Medical School reports the proper way to wear a backpack is to put heavier items closest to the user’s back, using both straps to not risk pain and muscle spasms, and hanging near the waistline.
However, the most obvious solution is right in front of the students’ noses: the lockers. In a survey of 100 North students, 75 percent said they haven’t used their locker at all in their high school career. Another 60 students out of 100 said they have no idea even where their locker is.
“I don’t really know why most kids don’t use their lockers,” Gracia said. “It’s meant to be for storage. Why not take advantage of it?”
