With homework assignments getting longer and longer and textbooks getting bigger and bigger, some health professionals and parents are raising concern about the heaviness of school backpacks. Most of this concern is for elementary and middle school-aged children, but the worry does not end there.

Dr. Michael Tidwell, director of the pediatric center at Baptist Children’s Hospital in Kendall, Fla., said, “The problem does not seem to be age-related, but I can see how someone in middle school, with more books, could have more difficulty carrying their backpack.”

Students at the Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science have their fair share of heavy textbooks: from “Principles of Economics” to “Conceptual Physics” to “The Norton Anthology of English Literature.” These textbooks are not always required for class, but many students often bring their laptops to class to take notes, and this can add considerable weight to backpacks.

Melissa Van Someren, mother of MSMS senior Kobe Van Someren, expressed worry about her son’s health.

“It is too heavy for his back,” she asserted. “I believe that there is a chance that the weight could cause future back problems.”

Melissa Van Someren has two children older than Kobe and says that she has witnessed an increase in the weight of backpacks as each of her children has gone through high school.

“I feel that as time has passed, teachers have focused on issuing more homework and requiring more material to be learned, which means more books,” she said. “I feel that teachers should try and alter their curriculum to where the use of textbooks outside of class is lowered.”

Not all students share the same concern as their parents. Emily Williamson, a senior, says that more than anything, the backpacks are just uncomfortable.

“Certain times of the week are worse, just because of the different material load of particular classes. But other than some back pain there are no serious injuries as a result of the weight of my backpack,” she assured. “If anything the weight is uncomfortable. Long term effects of a heavy backpack have never been a topic of discussion in my family.”

Students may not share the same concern as their parents, but the subject of heavy backpacks is not something to take lightly.

Here are a few tips that may help lighten the load on your shoulders:

• Swap out heavy textbooks during off/lunch periods;
• Store multiple classes in one binder (but make sure to not overload that binder);
• Only bring your textbooks when it is required by your instructor, or use an online textbook if possible; and
• Instead of using multiple notebooks for notes, store them in labeled folders on your laptop/tablet.