Weigh several kilos

Children often carry school bags that are too heavy

The school bag of Aliyah (6) from Braunau weighs 5.6 kilograms.

(Bild: Scharinger Daniel)

Something is weighing on the shoulders of the little ones: a "Krone" test shows how much backpacks can weigh. Doctors advise that school bags should not weigh more than 20 percent of a child's body weight - but this figure is often significantly exceeded.

Everyday life has returned to our schools and school bags and rucksacks are being packed every day. But in most cases, they are far too heavy. "Ten to a maximum of 20 percent of the child's body weight is recommended," says Gerold Bauer, head of the orthopaedic specialist group in Leonding.

And with a postscript: "However, it is a fallacy that fat children are then allowed to carry more. You would have to stick to the weight of a comparable child of this age and size, because otherwise overweight children would be doubly burdened," says the doctor.

Carrying the rucksack correctly

Even more important than the weight is the attitude of the school bag, says Reinhold Ortmaier, primary physician at the Ordensklinikum Linz. "Coolness" should be avoided, because although many children may like the look of the shoulder straps, "the school bag should be flush with the shoulder", says Ortmaier. Parents should also make sure that the shoulder straps have a certain width when buying school bags. "So that the weight is not concentrated on a small area."

"Not a problem on individual days"
Case studies of children have shown that school bags rarely weigh less than 20 percent of the child's weight. In a small, non-representative "Krone" test, the "satchels" weighed up to almost 29 percent of the children's body weight. "On individual days and at short notice, a heavy school bag is not a problem. It's all about regularity," says Bauer, who warns against postural damage.

First-grader Leonie's school bag from Neukirchen weighs 5.2 kilograms.

(Bild: Scharinger Daniel)

(Bild: Scharinger Daniel)

Amelie lugs an 8.2-kilogram rucksack to NMS Neukirchen.

(Bild: Scharinger Daniel)

(Bild: Scharinger Daniel)

Transporting empty drinking bottles
In addition to the weight, it is particularly important to carry the school bag correctly: "Use both straps, including the waist straps, and never just carry it over one shoulder," advises the expert. And: "Carry empty drinking bottles, because a full bottle adds up to one kilo of weight. And consistently leave all items not needed for lessons at home."