Children are still damaging their spines by carrying school bags that are too heavy
Despite government reminders to parents and students, children are still carrying school bags that are too heavy for them, leading to serious spinal damage
It took sixth-former Sandra five years before she could stop wearing a back brace. Sandra, who prefers not to disclose her real name, is a casualty of the enduring problem of Hong Kong students lugging overly heavy bags.
Signs of trouble were already surfacing in Primary Four, when she would cart thick history and grammar texts between home and school daily to complete her class assignments. "The teacher might not finish covering material from the textbook during the term, but we still had to bring the whole book.
My back hurt from carrying the heavy load to school every day
"My back began to hurt from carrying the heavy load to school every day. At first, the pain wasn't so serious. My mum would just massage my shoulders," Sandra says.
By the time she was in Primary Six, Sandra was diagnosed with scoliosis - a deformity in the spine curvature that particularly affects teenagers. Physicians at a government orthopaedic clinic issued her with a back brace, which she has had to wear all through secondary school.
On a typical school day, Sandra's backpack continues to be stuffed with textbooks, notepads, and files. Then there's her trumpet, her running shoes, and a water bottle on the two days when she has PE class and music practice.
Thankfully, the distortion of her spinal curve is now under control, and she no longer needs to wear a brace. But to ensure the condition does not worsen, Sandra regularly visits a chiropractor to stretch her muscles and elongate her spine.