The student’s bag and the correct posture at the desk
Can a heavy school bag cause a skeletal problem in my child?
No scientific study has proven this. The school bag cannot be blamed for creating or worsening scoliosis. After all, in the vast majority of cases, its etiology is unknown (idiopathic).
Think about it, if this were the case, most children would have scoliosis!
However, heavy school bags, which exceed 10% of body weight, can cause pain in the waist and back in some children – especially when they are not worn correctly.
What should my child’s bag be like?
We should pay attention to 3 basic characteristics:
- It should be the right size for the child.
- It should have as large a support/suspension surface as possible, which should be very well padded.
- It should be as light as possible (empty).
Is there a limit to the number of kilograms that each child should lift depending on their weight?
It has been found that if the weight of the bag exceeds 10% of the child’s weight, the likelihood of the child complaining of pain in their waist or back increases. This likelihood increases as the weight of the bag increases.
Is a bag with wheels a solution?
Theoretically and under ideal conditions, yes. However, my experience from real-life situations described by parents shows that children avoid using the wheels in the correct way. In addition, concerns are expressed about how children carry these bags when going up and down stairs.
What exactly is scoliosis and what signs should lead us to the doctor?
Scoliosis is when the spine presents a sideways curvature, when viewed from the front or back. There is almost always a rotation of some vertebrae. The severity of the deformity can vary between children and can change over time, especially during the child’s development.
The main signs that should lead us to the doctor are:
- Asymmetry in the shoulders and waist
- Pelvic tilt
- Humping in the back (hunchback) – especially when the child bends
What is the correct posture of the student when sitting at his desk?
The correct study position is with the lower limbs forming a right angle at both the hips and knees, while the feet should be fully on the floor or on a footrest. The back should be well supported on the chair with a slight backward tilt. The hands and wrists should just touch the desk when the shoulders are hanging and the elbows are bent at a right angle.
What should the chair that a 6-year-old child sits in to read for the first year of his life be like?
To help our child – through the chair – sit at his desk with correct posture, the chair should have the following basic characteristics:
- Its back should follow and accommodate the natural curves of our spine (lumbar lordosis – back kyphosis).
- It should be height adjustable (especially if the height of the desk is not adjustable).
- The surfaces in contact with the child’s body should be made of a suitable medium-hard material
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