Packing the school bag & Correct lifting techniques.

Packing the school bag for safety:

A school bag should never weigh more than 10 to 20 percent of a student's body weight, because when it does injury can occur. Some parents and teachers are noticing that children are straining under the weight of their school bags. In addition to carrying school books, kids are carrying clothes, water bottles, notepads, calculators, lunches and many other things that can make a school bag evolve into something that is a danger to health.

To pack a back pack correctly and make sure children look after their spines, try these tips:

• Pack the heaviest items so they are closest to the child’s back. If the heaviest items are packed further away, this throws out the child’s centre of gravity and causes unnecessary back strain.
• Make sure that items can’t move around during transit, as this could upset your child’s centre of gravity – use the back pack’s compartments.
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Correct lifting and carrying techniques for school back packs:

Adjust the shoulder straps so that the bottom of the back pack is just above the child’s waist – don’t allow them to wear the back pack slung low over their buttocks.

When fitted correctly, the back pack should contour snugly to the child’s back, rather than hang off their shoulders.

• Your child should lift the back pack with a straight back, using their thigh muscles. The back pack should be lifted with both hands and held close to the body. Slip an arm through one shoulder strap, and then the other.
• If your child has to lean over, their back pack is too heavy, incorrectly fitted or wrongly packed.
• Make sure your child understands that carrying the back pack over one shoulder will cause back pain and potential injury.

Other ways to reduce the load carried by your child include:

• If your child insists they need to bring home more books than they can comfortably carry, see their teacher.
• Consult with your child’s school about limiting the weight of children’s schoolbags.
• Regularly clean out the back pack, since your child may be storing unneeded items.
• Regularly ask your child if their back pack is causing fatigue or pain. If so, lighten the load and adjust the fittings.
• Plan ahead – don’t carry lots of equipment at the same time, like sports gear, musical instruments or art materials
• Pack the heaviest items – such as your laptop – closest to the body and the lighter, softer items further out. Carry smart.