Information on how much a primary school student's backpack weighs is available at the link. For example, the weight of textbooks and notebooks for three subjects for a second grader (mathematics, Russian language, "Me and the World") is 3 kilograms, which negatively affects children's health.
How does carrying heavy backpacks impact students' health? For comments, the editorial team reached out to Baktygul Jumakulova, an expert in the field of school health.
“Unfortunately, this problem really exists. At the initial stage, when a child is just starting to study in the first grade, there are usually no serious violations. However, as the learning process progresses, from the first to the fourth grade, the situation worsens. During medical examinations in the fifth grade, we note that about 30% of children begin to suffer from scoliosis,” she reported.
According to Jumakulova, not only the weight of the backpack affects health, but also the way it is carried. “Children often carry backpacks on one shoulder, whereas they should be worn with both straps. We constantly remind them of this. In addition to scoliosis, many develop poor posture. A heavy backpack pulls them back, and the child is forced to lean forward, which contributes to posture disorders,” the expert explained.
Another important aspect, in her opinion, is the improper fit of the backpack. It should fit snugly against the back and be tightened. In practice, however, backpacks often hang on the lower back or even lower. Combined with the weight of educational materials, this leads to disorders in the musculoskeletal system, including scoliosis and worsening posture.
Jumakulova also noted that if the deformation affects the cervical-thoracic region of the spine, it can negatively impact blood supply to the brain. As a result, children experience weakness, drowsiness, lethargy, and impaired concentration and memory due to a lack of oxygen and blood supply.
“This problem is very relevant. I always tell my colleagues that we need to focus not on diseases and pathologies, but on health. It is important to visit schools, observe, study, and provide recommendations to prevent disorders during school age. Many of them can be prevented in advance,” she emphasized.
Unfortunately, in the expert's opinion, school medicine in Kyrgyzstan remains on the periphery of the healthcare system. “This area receives extremely little attention. I am only heard when children or grandchildren have serious health problems,” Jumakulova added.
A separate question concerns the backpacks themselves. Previously, according to her, there were sanitary norms: the shape of the backpack, rules for carrying it, and the permissible number of books. “In Soviet times, for example, schedules necessarily included lessons without textbooks: labor, physical education, music. Today, there is no such control, schedules often change, and children take all their textbooks at once to avoid forgetting anything. Parents also do not always pay attention to this,” the specialist shared her opinion.
Moreover, as Jumakulova pointed out, many children engage in extracurricular activities and attend sports sections, which forces them to carry two bags at once. This further exacerbates the load on the spine.
“According to our observations, by the eighth grade, scoliosis is already detected in almost 60% of children. Our medicine is mainly focused on diagnosing and treating diseases that have already developed. Prevention of musculoskeletal disorders starts too late — when the disease has already manifested,” she noted.
In her opinion, the hygiene services for children and adolescents mainly limit themselves to checking schools before the start of the academic year, while the learning process itself — the schedule, load, number of textbooks — remains outside their control.
The photo on the main page is illustrative: hotelaldem.com.
