The ever increasing number of school books have resulted in heavier and heavier school bags over the last few decades. While some schools offer the ability to retain unnecessary books in the lockers at school, many schools around the planet do not have this facility. This leaves young students trudging along to and from school with a heavy backpack. One which often causes them back pain and may even affect the spinal growth.

Researchers at the Liverpool Jon Moore University in collaboration with the researchers at the University of Granada in Spain conducted a scientific study in Applied Ergonomics. The study was conducted on 49 students from primary school and conducted a kinematic analysis of their trunk and lower limbs under three conditions.

The first was walking without any burden. The second had the children walk with a traditional school bag. Third had them walk with pulling a backpack trolley with loads at 10%, 15% and 20% of their body weight respectively. The study found that for least impact it was best that the school children pulled trolleys rather than carried backpacks. Also if they had to carry backpacks, the weight of the backpack should not exceed 10% of the child’s body weight.