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Backpacks
The Problem with Backpacks
With the new school year just beginning it seems appropriate
to discuss the problem many of our children are experiencing
as a result of their backpacks. Textbooks, homework and
other supplies place a heavy load on our children’s
backs which can cause back pain during the school year and
may progress to chronic back pain later in life. In 1998
the United States reported that over 12,700 children between
the ages of 5-18 went to the emergency room to seek help
for backpack related injuries. The reason is quite simple.
Our children are carrying more weight than their bodies
can handle.
Carrying too much weight is a greater concern for a child than for
an adult because as children grow their muscles, skeleton
and brain learn from each other how to move. The abnormal
positions required to carry an overloaded backpack become
thought, by the body, to be normal, when in fact they are
quite detrimental to our child’s physical development.
If a backpack weighs more than 25% of a child’s body
weight problems with balance precipitate injuries simply
when climbing stairs or opening up doors.
The recommended backpack weight for a child is no more than
10% of their body weight.
Wearing backpacks properly also becomes an issue. The common look
of using only one strap requires that one shoulder carry
the entire load. This creates many postural imbalances in
the neck and shoulder. When assessing your child’s
physical development symmetry is of grave concern. Most
of the problems we experience as adults are a result of
muscle imbalances that we now wish were corrected at an
earlier age.
Here are some suggestions to help your child prevent backpack
related injuries and posture imbalances.
1. Avoid backpacks or book bags with only one strap.
2. Choose a backpack with wide padded shoulders straps to
lessen the strain on shoulders and neck.
3. Avoid backpacks made of heavy material. It just adds
to the weight.
4. Choose a backpack with a chest strap to help distribute
weight.
5. Make sure the pack and everything in it weighs less than
10% of your child’s body weight.
If you are in doubt as to whether your child’s backpack
is good for your child’s back, consult Synergea
Chiropractic. We are able to help determine if changes
need to be made and offer advice on how to make carrying
things to school easier for your child.
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