Did an Overloaded Schoolbag or Briefcase Cause Permanent Damage to My Back?

I can remember it well - I think I was the only child at my school who had to suffer the indignity of carrying a briefcase to school on the bus!

Not only did I stick out like a sore thumb, but it may well have been one of the contributing factors to a worn disc in my spinal column later in life.

I can recall my maths textbooks, large, red and very heavy!  We had to take it home every night as we had no lockers and it was needed for regular homework.  With eight lessons a day, we had a similar number of textbooks - you can imagine the weight of the bag which I had to carry each morning to the bus stop.

As a kid you just do whatever's required and don't always question it.

However, later in life when an x-ray showed a worn disc which resulted in a poor posture and a slight tilt to the right, I questioned, did my schoolbag cause this damage?  The wear was on the right side, the side that I always used to carry my briefcase on - I hadn't suffered any accidents and wasn't involved in any sports that were likely to have injured my spine.

I can only conclude that the answer is, probably, yes.  I can think of no other way in which the damage occured.  I'm thankful that whilst it means that the hem of my skirt is never level as my hips are slightly out of alignment, I have not suffered any further back pain as a result.

Although some recent research has shown that children's backpacks are unlikely to cause pain or injury, I would suggest erring on the side of caution following my own story.

Further Info

Backpacks and Schoolbags - fashionable answers for the concerned parent

Back Pain exercises - simple ways to prevent shoulder, neck and back pain resulting from a child's school bag.