Aug 24, 2018 5 min read

How heavy is too heavy when it comes to your child’s school backpack? It may seem like a no-brainer for kids to not lug around more than they can carry comfortably, but more than 30,000 children each year seek medical treatment for pain caused by carrying heavy bookbags. Toting a backpack that is too heavy can literally be a pain in your child’s neck.

Dr. Ryan Sauber, orthopedic spine surgeon with Allegheny Health Network, says problems from overstuffed backpacks are real.

“Backpack injuries is a recognized problem,” says Sauber. “In general, it typically causes aches and pains as opposed to any longer term disability or disorder.”

Carrying a book bag that’s too full can cause medical problems for kids, depending on how much weight they carry and for how long.

“The side effect of carrying a backpack that’s too heavy is typically it causes a short term sprain or strain of the muscle and tendons in the child’s back,” says Sauber. “That is typically not enough to cause long-term dysfunction and disability, but it can be quite painful and it can affect what activities they’re capable of doing at that time. In general, a heavy backpack is not enough to cause significant spinal pathology like scoliosis or any other problems.”

The damage may not be lasting, but it can cause absences from school and a lot of unnecessary aches and pains. Sauber says he sees it happen in his practice every year.

“I’ve seen kids throughout the years who have had soreness in their back associated with very heavy backpacks and often times they don’t know why their back hurts,” he says. “And occasionally we’ll x-ray them to try to find out. Then a parent will speak up from the corner of the room saying, by the way, they carry around 12 books that their school requires them to have every day.”

Fortunately, he says the solution is simple: Lighten the load and do some gentle stretching and exercises to alleviate the soreness.

So how much is too much? Recommendations generally call for the weight of the backpack to be limited to 10 to 15 percent of the person’s body weight.

“What matters more is not necessarily the age of the child but the amount of weight that they’re carrying around,” says Sauber. “So if a high-schooler is carrying around a very heavy backpack, they’re just as likely to have a sore back at the end of the day as a younger child. But the younger children are able to tolerate less weight than the older children.”

As to whether any certain style of backpack, book bag or messenger bag is better designed for comfort, Sauber says there’s no scientific literature to go by. But the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgery recommends you use a backpack that fits well, has wide should straps and is adjustable. The majority of weight should be toward your lower back.

“You don’t want a backpack that hangs down below your waist,” Sauber warns. “There are some thoughts that wearing a waist strap can help to lighten the load and ease pressure on the upper back. But even more important than the fit is keeping the load light.”

How much weight is in the bag is important but so is posture, and Sauber says that can be a warning sign.

“Carrying a heavy load causes you to tip forward in the upper part of your back or your gut and that puts a lot of stress on muscles in the upper and lower back and can be a source of pain,” he says. “In general, looking at your child’s posture when they’re wearing a book bag and making sure it’s the same as when they’re not wearing it is very important.”

If your child does suffer from soreness or ache and pains, Sauber says don’t wait too long to see a doctor.

“Any back pain in a young, healthy child that sticks around for a day or two shouldn’t be ignored,” he warns. “Prolonged back pain should be checked out and certainly any numbness or tingling in the arm or leg. That’s another thing that can happen is that people can actually get nerve injuries from backpacks that are worn too long. So there are some major complications from a heavy backpack but those situations are rare.”

Rolling backpacks, or rollerpacks, gained popularity a few years ago as an alternative for little kids carrying pounds of books at school and home on the bus. However, some schools across the country have banned the rolling bags because they don’t fit in lockers, can pose a tripping hazard and can clog up hallways. In fact, the American Chiropractic Association does not recommend young students use rolling backpacks, but instead says they should focus on proper use of regular backpacks.

The takeaway from all of this is that less is more. Parents should encourage students to leave things behind that they don’t really need all day at school. Talk to younger children about how many books he or she must carry at once while at school and how to design a plan to alleviate heavy loads for long periods of time. The result may literally take the weight off their shoulders.