Beware Of Heavy School Bags —Dr Tells Parents

Children carrying heavy loads of books in school bags run the risk of developing serious spinal deformity, a health expert has reiterated.

According to the CEO of Diamond Herbal Clinic, Dr Bryan M. Bonsu, it is not just the weight of backpacks that can cause back troubles later in life.

He argues that carrying overweight bags in poorly designed school bags and in the most harmful way especially over one shoulder, could be more destructive.

Dr. Bonsu therefore called on parents, schools and the entire public to adopt the regulation of some European countries which allows school children to carry bags that weigh 10 per cent of their body mass.

“The bags shouldn’t weigh more than 10 per cent of the child child’s weight and must be worn over both shoulders,” he said.

The doctor’s suggestion then means the bag of a child who weighs 50kg should be 5kg and no more.

Other health complications

Dr Bonsu explains that by carrying heavy school bags, children develop a forward-head posture as they are hinging forward at the hips to compensate for the heavy weight on their back.

He added that, children might not show symptoms or experience pain straight away; in the long term, they are developing imbalances in the body which can affect the health of the nervous system.

He advised parents to ensure that their kids have high quality back packs, with shoulder pads that are carried on both shoulders and not just one.

He also commended the Government for introducing electronic gadgets such as tablets and Laptops that are being used in schools.

The doctor said, “These electronic gadgets make the students to think beyond their books and explore the learning skills as much as they can.”

Dr Bonsu further commended the Ghana Education Service (GES) for reducing the primary and J.H.S syllabus to compliment for a more effective teaching and learning process.