What a pain in the..

Back. You thought I was going to write something else, right? Anyway, I had an interesting story today out of the University of California at San Diego. Researchers there gave backpacks to eight kids, all about eleven years old. The backpacks ranged from empty to thirty pounds. They used an MRI to measure the packs inpact on the kids' spines. Guess what? The heavier the backpack the more disc compression, spine curvature and pain.

We interviewed a Baylor-Carrollton pediatrician who says some kids complain of backpain, then drop a 40-pound bag full of books on the examination room floor. Kids in the 4th grade are coming in. 4th grade!

We also interviewed a Hebron High School freshman volleyball player who's backpack weighs about 30-pounds, as you might imagine, her back hurts.

All of this leads me to wonder why in this high tech world we live in, why aren't there applications that students can use on their smartphones? Ditch the books and go digital. Imagine a handheld device that allows students to easily move from history to math to science to english? Wait, I think I know why it hasn't been done yet. It's probably too expensive. If you think that's expensive, wait until we see the medical bills.