A constant worry for parents of school-going kids is the ever-growing size of the school bag and the stresses this may place on the spine. Parents are worried that poor posture and heavy school bags would cause permanent damage to their child’s spine but experts claim nothing could be further from the truth.
Heavy school bags aren’t ruining your child’s spine but THIS might
Let us take posture, for example. In an interview with HT lifestyle, Dr Parthasarathy Srinivasan, Senior Consultant – Orthopaedics at Rela Hospital in Chennai, shared, “Posture is a function of situation, confidence, muscle strength and fatigue. Most children will slouch when they are at home or around their parents and will sit upright at an examination or when in the presence of authority, they fear. A laidback lounging posture is preferred at the end of the day and in relaxed circumstances.”
According to him, children who participate in competitive sports tend to slouch less but it does not mean they do not slouch at all. Dr Parthasarathy Srinivasan revealed, “Posture does not directly damage the spine in any way and does not cause spinal deformity. The fears regarding heavy school bags causing spinal damage are also unfounded. Normal children can cope with the stress of carrying heavy school bags and there is no right way to carry them either. The body and the spine will compensate and adapt to loads placed on it.”
Spine myths busted:
However, persistent low back pain in children is a rare complaint and must be treated with concern. Dr Parthasarathy Srinivasan asserted, “It must be evaluated by an expert at the earliest. There are many causes of pain in the spine which may be infection, injury, disc prolapse, spondylolysis and spondylolisthesis and even tumours. We must also carefully look at the mental health of children in the absence of discernible causes of pain. Children under mental stress can suffer from unexplained pains which may be presented as back and neck pains or headaches.”
The fears and stress of exams and peer pressure in these times of social media cannot be underestimated. Dr Parthasarathy Srinivasan highlighted, “Persistent unexplainable pains are a red flag. Any back pains associated with fever, loss of weight, tingling, numbness or weakness of the limbs, bladder or bowel disturbances and excruciating pain not settling within a few days must be immediately addressed by a spine specialist. These are called red flags and indicate dangerous conditions which need urgent and thorough evaluation.”
Spinal deformity like scoliosis (S shaped spine) or kyphosis (hunchback) is either genetic, congenital, acquired or syndrome associated. Dr Parthasarathy Srinivasan explained, “It does not happen by carrying weights or poor posture. If noticed, these need to be evaluated thoroughly by a specialist who will be the best person to advise on the intervention recommended for that age group. These may require surgery too. Parents need not get very worried regarding these multiple dangerous diagnoses as they are relatively rare. They, however, must be alert to their children’s complaints and consult a specialist at the earliest.”
Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.