From September 23 to October 5, the National Syndicate of Physiotherapist Masseurs Rééducateurs (SNMKR) and the Federation of Parents’ Councils (FCPE) are launching their new campaign against back pain “M’ton dos”.
Bolstered by an alarming observation about back pain in children and the overweight of school bags, health professionals are mobilizing to advise families and put in place effective preventive actions in schools.
Satchels too heavy
“Back pain is a real scourge. It costs 2 billion euros and 9 million days off work each year“, declares Paul Raoult, president of the FCPE.”It starts very young: this is where you have to be careful“.
In 2012, more than 1,000 children had already consulted the 250 physiotherapists of the M’ton dos operation. And 64% of children, the majority of whom were athletes (74% of them practiced a sporting activity) already complained of back pain. Schoolchildren carry a satchel of about 8.5 kilos on average. “It’s almost the equivalent of a pack of 6 bottles of water on the back“, remarks Mr. Raoult. A weight of 20% more than what a child should normally carry because the weight of the schoolbag should not exceed 10% of the weight of the schoolchildren. The back of the children is also abused by their mode of In fact, they spend at least 864 hours in class and 4000 hours sitting per year.
Free advice provided by physiotherapists
From September 23 to October 5, throughout France, parents will be able to benefit free of charge for their children in CM1, CM2 or 6ème classes from back pain prevention advice provided by physiotherapists. They will receive free recommendations to prevent back pain in school. Children will learn to choose a suitable satchel, to rebalance their weight, to organize their school materials, to position themselves well in their chairs at school and at home and to do back pain prevention exercises.
The recommendations
The FCPE continues to mobilize to reduce the weight of schoolbags, to put in place a standard schoolbag at each start of the school year, to rationalize school supplies, and above all to switch to the digital schoolbag and to equip classrooms with ergonomic furniture. According to Mr. Raoult, “tablets or the digital binder will also be a solution in the long term. Today, the tablet is cheaper. In four or five years, we’ll get therer “, he projects.
The list of physiotherapists participating in the operation: http://www.snmkr75.fr/actualites/m-ton-dos-c-est-reparti.html
