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Parents are being urged to make sure school backpacks are not too big and heavy for their children.
The Chiropractors Association says most youngsters are carrying too much weight in their backpacks and this can lead to chronic shoulder, neck and back pain.
Spokesman Simon Kelly said that with large textbooks, sports gear and laptops all in the one bag, the weight schoolchildren carried often exceeded recommendations for adult weight-bearing in the workplace.
Children should be taught to pack backpacks safely, with heavy items secure, balanced and closest to their back. They should wear the bag on both shoulders to spread the load, not sling it over one shoulder.
Dr Kelly said parents needed to watch children's posture. If they were leaning forward, the bag was too heavy, poorly fitted or badly packed.
Limiting loads to less than 15 per cent of the child's bodyweight could help prevent back pain and buying the right size bag was important, he said.
"Don't buy a small child a big bag hoping they'll grow into it. They will always try and fit as much in there as they can," he said.
Chiropractors recommend parents invest in a good-quality, ergonomic backpack with wide shoulder straps. The bag should be no longer than the wearer's torso from the base of the neck to the hips.
But Dr Kelly said the bag must also meet the child's approval.
"If it's not cool, they won't wear it."
