Have you ever weighed your child's backpack? Rita Calado, pediatrician at Hospital da Luz Lisboa, explains some precautions when choosing and using a school backpack to protect the children's spine health. Is there a right weight for my child's backpack? If parents were to put their children's backpacks on the home scales, they would be surprised to find that the weight often exceeds what is recommended. The ideal weight of a child's backpack should be between 10% and 15% of the child's body weight . For example, for a child weighing 30 kg, the backpack should weigh around 3 kg, with a maximum of 4.5 kg. As important as the backpack weight, or even more important, is the way it is used . When buying a backpack, choose one with wide, padded shoulder straps and always distribute the weight evenly across both shoulders. When the weight is carried on only one shoulder, as children often like to do, the spine is forced to bend to compensate, which can lead to poor posture, muscle pain and other problems. The backpack contents should also be arranged correctly, with the heaviest items placed at the bottom of the backpack and as close as possible to the child's back. This helps prevent the spine from bending backwards to compensate for poorly distributed weight. The backpack should end roughly at waist level, not hang too far down towards the buttocks, and should fit as closely as possible against the child's back. The content published in the Health Guide is intended for the general public and is provided for informational and educational purposes only. It does not replace individual medical assessment, diagnosis, or personalized clinical advice from a qualified healthcare professional. The content is produced or reviewed by physicians and other healthcare professionals at Hospital da Luz and is based on the knowledge available at the time of publication or the most recent update, as indicated at the beginning of each item. English translation generated with AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
