Many students carry around relatively heavy backpacks stuffed with textbooks and other items needed for class. However, there are some side effects to carrying a heavy bag around.

“This bag is closed, right?”

Senior Patrick Sayers said this as he gestured to his backpack, marked by a foot-long tear above his zipper which was technically closed.

[perfectpullquote align=”right” bordertop=”false” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, a backpack should never weigh more than about 10 to 20 percent a student’s weight. For a 175-pound boy, that’s no more than 35 pounds.[/perfectpullquote]

Sayers was one of many students who had to carry around a literary anthology for his Honors British Literature class last year, which weighed in around 4.2 pounds according to a previously published article in this publication.

He reported having to place this novel on top of his other books, because it was too large to be placed alongside other books.

“You have to make room in your backpack by placing it on top of your other books. The first thing you see when you open your backpack is the ‘Roper Bible’… It didn’t fit in my backpack,” he said.

He speculates that this anthology and other books stretched his backpack to the breaking point—literally.

“It was literally stretching the entire time,” he said.

Backpacks may be an efficient way to avoid trips to a locker during the school day, but carrying too much weight in your backpack can be dangerous. More than 6,300 youths between ages 5 and 18 were treated in emergency rooms for backpack injuries in 2016, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, a backpack should never weigh more than about 10 to 20 percent a student’s weight. For a 175-pound boy, that’s no more than 35 pounds.

Fortunately, Sayers does say that the [physical] load has lightened senior year.

“Senior year is not as much.” Sayers said. “[Your backpack] not going to tip you over if someone pushes you.”

While Sayers chooses not to use his locker, citing difficulties like inconvenience and the risk of forgetting class materials, some students do make use of provided lockers.

Senior Andrew Oberkircher is one student who makes use of his locker, and he reports having an easier time with his backpack.

He believes that his experience with his backpack has been fairly consistent throughout his time at Malvern, and he credits this to his use of the provided lockers.

“I feel like I’m one of the few people who uses their locker still. I feel like seniors are discouraged from using their locker,” Oberkircher said. “Put the books you don’t need away for the day. Save yourself the trouble.”

However, many students have genuine concerns whether using their lockers would leave them prepared for class.

“I would use my locker, but I felt like I would forget something along the line,” senior Will McGill said. “I eventually ended up carrying twenty pounds of crap around on my back. Eventually my backpack started to tear.”

Backpacks may be a nuisance to students on campus—McGill reports having gone through four backpacks over the course of his six years at Malvern. However, not many students reported concerns with the weight of their packs.

Physical Trainer Mr. Eric Miller believes that there is no danger, unless the backpack is particularly heavy, it will not pose a health risk.

“It’s tough to say, but it’s probably something like a percentage of body weight,” Miller said. “I guess if they’re really light they shouldn’t be carrying 50% of their body weight.”

Miller thinks there may be some advantages to carrying the heavy load.

“Another part of me says, kids need to do more physical work. Kids should be able to carry a 10-15 or 20 pound backpack,” he said. “Weighted carries in the strength and conditioning world are huge.”

He also cited the limited time that students walk with the bag as reason we need not be concerned.

“On a campus like ours it’s not that bad,” he said. “Walking from Sullivan to Good Counsel is not that far. I don’t see it as being a detriment to your health.”

Miller recommended that students should try to wear a bag with both straps, and these kinds of carries could help posture.

“I don’t think it’s a bad thing,” he said. “As long as kids aren’t walking half a mile with something half their body weight.”