Is heavy school bag or too much screen time giving daughter a bad back?

Since my daughter started high school a few weeks ago, she has been complaining that her shoulders and back are aching. She walks to school and I’m concerned about the weight of the backpack she carries. She also spends more time crouched over her computer screen doing homework. I’m worried these activities are going to lead to back problems in the future.

Sometimes age-old wisdom comes to the fore. Years ago my grandma used to nag me about two things – looking after my teeth and maintaining a good posture. She insisted on me sitting correctly at the dinner table, and slouching of any sort was not permitted. This was before the compulsive distraction of tablets and laptops. Today, the advice is even more important. A good posture is crucial for future health and avoiding back, neck and shoulder problems in particular.

This generation of children are certainly in danger of falling victim to these ailments.

Both the points you mention in your question could be contributing to your daughter’s aches and pains. The increased homework pressure as students enter high school and their “need” to be on social media, means spending hours a day on a computer. Often children (and adults too) can be seen on a sofa slouching over a tablet on their lap, with their chin almost on their chest or curling up with a smartphone. This can place a strain on the back and neck and can also lead to headaches and a round-shouldered posture. Having experienced a frozen neck after spending many hours writing my own school reports on a laptop, I wouldn’t want to repeat the severe discomfort and months of painful physiotherapy.

There are positive things your daughter can do to avoid such problems. She should sit on a supportive chair at a desk or table while doing computer-based homework. If she is on a sofa she should try to sit up straight with a cushion to support her head. Limiting social networking or gaming is extremely difficult for parents, but it’s vital as children get totally absorbed and generally don’t stick to time limits. Screen time should only be 30 to 40 minutes maximum before taking a break, not just for the sake of posture but also to avoid eyesight damage.