Research shows that about 70 per cent of Australian school students are suffering from back pain as a direct result of carrying a backpack each day. This alarming figure has been reported by multiple prominent sources including The Courier Mail.
Studies have also proven that shouldering the weight of these packs over 12 years of schooling can lead to chronic back problems which extend into adulthood.
Part of the issue is that backpacks are generally too heavy for kids to be lugging around all day. When you consider thick textbooks, laptops, food, sports gear, clothing and stationary items are crammed into a bag, it’s not hard to see why.
And while the majority of backpacks chosen by students are deemed “fashionable” they usually aren’t evenly weighted, leading to unnecessary stress on a child’s spine.
On top of this, the Chiropractors’ Association of Australia (CAA) has revealed that more than 90 per cent of school students have bad posture when carrying their bags, increasing the odds of injury.
Many students either wear backpacks too low or sling them over one shoulder. Factoring in that filled schoolbags can weigh upwards of 10 kilograms, this puts them at extreme risk of back issues.
Anyone who has endured back problems will attest that they can be extremely debilitating, restrictive and sore. We should not be willingly allowing our kids to flirt dangerously with the prospect of lifelong spinal injuries.
But there is a simple solution and it comes in the form of school lockers.
Experts, including the CAA, recommend utilising lockers as a way for children to avoid bearing the brunt of their backpacks all day.
The amount of school supplies seems to increase each year, especially with the rise in technology in the classroom, so it makes sense to store other items like textbooks and alternate uniforms in a locker, as our American cousins do.
Davell is the market leader in lockers. We produce by far the widest range of quality school lockers, complete with a lifetime warranty.
We understand the storage requirements of students and therefore produce Australian-made school lockers to suit those needs.
Two of our lockers, the Sports/School Locker and Multistore Locker, are primarily designed to accommodate backpacks, sports bags, laptops, textbooks, uniforms and personal items in the safety of a secure steel locker.
We also produce Charging Lockers that supply power to USB or mains power to charge phones, tablets and laptops while they are securely stored.
There are many colours to choose from including standard, pearl, ripple, hammertone and textured finishes, as well as two-tone lockers to reflect school house colours.
Our work can be seen in many schools such as SCEGGS at Darlinghurst, Abbotsleigh in Wahroonga, OLMC Parramatta, Hunter Valley Grammar School, Ravenswood School for Girls, Brigidine College and Aquinas College.
Contact us today to find out more about installing lockers in your school. Not only will they be ultra-convenient and stylish, but they will help alleviate the stress on students’ backs.
