Back to school: Why parents need to weigh their children's school bags as they head back to class
Heavy school bags may pose a health risk to your child 🎒
- For many pupils across the country, the new school year is now here
- A chiropractor is urging parents to check in on their child’s schoolbag before they return to class
- These should be no more than 10% of their body weight
- Heavier bags can cause poor posture, and other long-term issues
It’s time for pupils to return to the classroom, but parents are being urged to weigh in their schoolbags before letting them out the door.
The six-week summer holidays are now at an end for most of England’s schoolchildren, who will be heading back to school throughout the coming week. This marks the start of the new 2025/26 school year, and for many, will also mean starting a brand new primary or secondary school.
For these young learners, one of their most constant companions over the next term will be their backpacks – whether it’s walking to and from school laden with lunchboxes and that night’s homework, or lugging books and folders class-to-class. But a chiropractor is warning parents to keep an eye on how heavy they are, for the sake of their child’s health.
To mark the start of the new school year, retailer M&S – which also provides uniforms and schoolbags – has partnered with chiropractor and British Chiropractic Association (BCA) member, Dean Blackstock, to explain some of the dangers a heavy schoolbag can pose, as well as how to figure out how heavy is too heavy. Here’s what they had to say:
The hazards of a heavy backpack – and how to pack it properly
Mr Blackstock said that many parents didn’t realise there was a recommended weight limit for children’s school bags. But he said proper loading was “vital for protecting spinal health”, as well as your child’s growth and development.
“Experts advise that a backpack should weigh no more than 10% of a child’s body weight, but with many bags far exceeding that, carrying too much can put additional strain on growing spines, muscles and joints,” he continued. This could play into future issues like poor posture, discomfort and long-term musculoskeletal issues.
“Children often compensate for heavy bags by changing their posture; leaning forward or sideways, which can cause imbalances and increases the risk of fatigue or injury,” Mr Blackstock added. “Repeat these postures day after day, term after term, year after year and you can see how injuries and discomfort arise.”
As well as the bag’s overall weight, how it is packed – and how it is actually worn – can also make a difference, he said. “A few small adjustments to how children carry their school bags can make a big difference to their long-term musculoskeletal health.
“When packing your bag, distribute weight evenly and place heavier items at the top to prevent the shoulders from being pulled backward,” he added. “It’s not always seen as fashionable admittedly, but wearing it on both shoulders and adjusting the straps accordingly is vital to make sure the bag correctly supports the weight, easing pressure on the body.”
Figuring out how heavy is too heavy at each age
Based on the 10% of their body weight rule, how much your child can safely carry generally depends on how much they weigh. To calculate this exactly, you can weigh your child and then multiply this by 0.1.
M&S has also calculated the maximum bag weight limit for children by year, based on the average weight of boys and girls at each age. It is worth keeping in mind, however, that this is only a guide – and it’s best to take your child and their own unique needs into account. Here is the heaviest their schoolbags should be, on average:
- Reception – age 4: Girls 1.6kg; boys 1.7kg
- Age 5: Girls 1.8kg; boys 1.9kg
- Age 6: Both girls and boys 2.1kg
- Age 7: Both girls and boys 2.3kg
- Age 8: Both girls and boys 2.6kg
- Age 9: Girls 2.9kg; boys 2.8kg
- Age 10: Girls 3.2kg; boys 3.1kg
- Start of secondary school – Age 11: Girls 3.6kg; boys 3.5kg
- Age 12: Girls 4kg; boys 3.8kg
- Age 13: Girls 4.5kg; boys 4.3kg
- Age 14: Girls 5kg; boys 4.9kg
- Age 15: Girls 5.6kg; boys 6kg
- Age 17: Girls 5.7kg; boys 6.4kg
- Age 18: Girls 5.8kg; boys 6.7kg
Do you have a child returning to school this week? Check out some of out other back to school coverage. Here is some guidance around how old they have to be to walk to school alone - and here are some tips for acing the transition from primary to secondary school.