Backpacks on wheels! WTF?

[PenguinTrax]

There have been record numbers of small schoolchildren being treated for back problems ranging from pulled muscles to cracked vertebrae to torn shoulder ligaments - all due to the overweight backpacks these kids must carry.

School schedules have beens structured in such a way that many kids take all their books with them, all day, because there isn't enough time to run back to lockers to change out the books.

A recent TV report (20/20 or Dateline) found that many children were carrying one-half or more of their own body weight on their backs. Most kids don't carry their book bags properly AND most backpacks sold as book bags really aren't engineered to fit well and be safe to the wearer.

You can make fun of wheeled backpacks but that's because you weigh over 100 pounds and carrying 20+pounds of books seems reasonable. Look at a small first grader weighing only 40 or 50 pounds, and try to get them to lug around the same amount of books as you.

Personally, I think schools at all levels should adjust their schedules to allow more frequent trips to the lockers and require that students not be allowed to carry more than 25% of their body weight - essentially making wheeled book bags a requirement.