Abstract Previous epidemiological studies indicated that weight of schoolbag in most countries is far higher than that recommended guidelines. Heavy schoolbags seriously affect the healthy development of the musculoskeletal system of adolescents, which not only leads to abnormal posture e.g. rounded shoulders, hunchback and head forward, but also is one of the main causes of adolescent musculoskeletal diseases such as cervical spondylosis, low back pain and scoliosis. However, adolescents and their parents do not fully understand the harm of heavy schoolbags, let alone the health knowledge regarding the choice and use of schoolbags. Therefore, the review introduces current evidence regarding the association between schoolbag and adolescent musculoskeletal system diseases, as well as schoolbag selection and use, with the aim to arouse the attention of teenagers and their parents and relevant health education departments.