BACKPACK WEIGHTS CONTINUE TO EXCEED SUGGESTED LIMITS
Junior Bethany Knecht was seen carrying her books, binders, and other school supplies around campus in a wheeled backpack last year. Knecht suffered from two stress fractures in her back and was told by her doctors that she was not allowed to carry a backpack because of her prior injuries.
“It was such a pain. Now that my back has heeled, I try to keep my bookbag as light as I can, but that’s not really possible. I have to keep doing physical therapy in order to keep my injuries from reappearing,” Knecht said.
Knecht is just one person who suffers from back-related injuries that are increased by carrying backpacks to class. According to Dr. Andrea Tahmooressi, a doctor at WNC Chiropractic, the weight of backpacks should not exceed 10 percent of the overall body weight of the student. If the backpack is heavier, then the potential for serious back problems later on in life exists. Although it is said that heavy backpacks are not the direct cause of back pain and injuries, they have however been linked to furthering the development of the injuries.
“Backpacks definitely contribute to spinal issues, especially if they are not used correctly. We see a lot of high school and college-aged students who have back problems. These are only worsened by heavy backpacks,” Tahmooressi said.
Tahmooressi feels that there are necessary measures for students to prevent potential problems, including using both straps of the backpacks, putting the heaviest items closest to your spine, and making sure the backpack does not hang below the lower back in order to counteract strain on muscles.
A study was held with 47 Roberson students from various grade levels, where the body weight and weight of their backpacks were measured and compared to find the relative percentage of the backpack. On average, the percentage of backpack to body weight was 12.5 percent overall (all grade levels), easily surpassing the weight recommended by doctors. By grade level, the senior class had the highest percentage of backpack weight with 14.8 percent, followed closely by the sophomore class with 12.3 percent.
The junior class ranked third with an average of 11.1 percent, and the freshmen with 10.9 percent. Each grade had an average over the 10 percent mark, recommended by physicians like Tahmooressi.
Junior Abby Hudspeth feels that the weight of backpacks is problematic for all students. Hudspeth is dual-enrolled with the North Carolina School of Science and Math and carries textbooks and a computer for classes at Roberson and for online.
“I have a few online textbooks for my classes through NCSSM, and even though I carry a computer back and forth to school, not having actual textbooks for all of my classes is a huge help. I would love it if all classes and textbooks could be online. It would be so much easier,” she said.
According to AP English IV teacher Helen Smith agrees that online textbooks would be a good alternative to carrying oversized backpacks. This is the first year that she has required classes to carry a textbook to and from school everyday, adding substantial weight to their already heavy loaded packs, which has not been required in previous years.
“I know it’s hard on the students this year, having to carry around all of their heavy textbooks. I would love to be able to have a class set so they wouldn’t have to have the extra weight, but there just isn’t the funding for them at this point. They need to have accessibility to them at school and at home,” Smith said.
“It was such a pain. Now that my back has heeled, I try to keep my bookbag as light as I can, but that’s not really possible. I have to keep doing physical therapy in order to keep my injuries from reappearing,” Knecht said.
Knecht is just one person who suffers from back-related injuries that are increased by carrying backpacks to class. According to Dr. Andrea Tahmooressi, a doctor at WNC Chiropractic, the weight of backpacks should not exceed 10 percent of the overall body weight of the student. If the backpack is heavier, then the potential for serious back problems later on in life exists. Although it is said that heavy backpacks are not the direct cause of back pain and injuries, they have however been linked to furthering the development of the injuries.
“Backpacks definitely contribute to spinal issues, especially if they are not used correctly. We see a lot of high school and college-aged students who have back problems. These are only worsened by heavy backpacks,” Tahmooressi said.
Tahmooressi feels that there are necessary measures for students to prevent potential problems, including using both straps of the backpacks, putting the heaviest items closest to your spine, and making sure the backpack does not hang below the lower back in order to counteract strain on muscles.
A study was held with 47 Roberson students from various grade levels, where the body weight and weight of their backpacks were measured and compared to find the relative percentage of the backpack. On average, the percentage of backpack to body weight was 12.5 percent overall (all grade levels), easily surpassing the weight recommended by doctors. By grade level, the senior class had the highest percentage of backpack weight with 14.8 percent, followed closely by the sophomore class with 12.3 percent.
The junior class ranked third with an average of 11.1 percent, and the freshmen with 10.9 percent. Each grade had an average over the 10 percent mark, recommended by physicians like Tahmooressi.
Junior Abby Hudspeth feels that the weight of backpacks is problematic for all students. Hudspeth is dual-enrolled with the North Carolina School of Science and Math and carries textbooks and a computer for classes at Roberson and for online.
“I have a few online textbooks for my classes through NCSSM, and even though I carry a computer back and forth to school, not having actual textbooks for all of my classes is a huge help. I would love it if all classes and textbooks could be online. It would be so much easier,” she said.
According to AP English IV teacher Helen Smith agrees that online textbooks would be a good alternative to carrying oversized backpacks. This is the first year that she has required classes to carry a textbook to and from school everyday, adding substantial weight to their already heavy loaded packs, which has not been required in previous years.
“I know it’s hard on the students this year, having to carry around all of their heavy textbooks. I would love to be able to have a class set so they wouldn’t have to have the extra weight, but there just isn’t the funding for them at this point. They need to have accessibility to them at school and at home,” Smith said.