Tips to Avoid Back Injury Due to Heavy Backpacks
It’s hard to believe that your child’s backpack could cause injury, but believe it or not, it’s true. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, backpack weight is becoming an increasing problem, and studies show that heavy backpacks can lead to both back pain and poor posture.
Children not only pack heavy schoolbooks, band instruments and running shoes into their backpacks, many of them also tuck away popular electronics — such as laptops, cellular phones, MP3 players and handheld video games — into specially designed compartments inside their backpacks. Kids often carry more than they should so it’s a good idea to inspect their backpack from time to time to remove unnecessary items.
A backpack shouldn’t weigh more than 15 percent of the child’s weight, or about seven pounds for a child who weighs 50 pounds. To prevent injury, children should wear a backpack correctly over both shoulders to spread the weight evenly or consider a wheeled backpack.
Bulging backpacks offer a significant risk to children, but parents can help limit the strain on young necks, backs and shoulders. Here are just a few tips to help prevent the pain caused by backpack misuse:
n Make sure your child’s backpack weighs no more than 10 percent of his or her body weight.
A heavier backpack will cause your child to stoop forward in an attempt to support the additional weight.
n The backpack should never hang more than 4 inches below the waistline. A backpack that hangs too low increases the weight on the shoulders, causing your child to lean forward when walking.
n A backpack with individualized compartments helps position the contents most effectively.
Make sure that pointy or bulky objects are packed away from the area that will rest on your child’s back, and try to place the heaviest items closet to the body.
n Bigger is not necessarily better. The more room there is in a backpack, the more your child will carry and the heavier the backpack will be.
n Urge your child to wear both shoulder straps. Lugging the backpack around by one strap can cause a disproportionate shift of weight to one side, leading to neck and muscle spasms, as well as low-back pain.
n Wide, padded straps are very important. Non-padded straps are uncomfortable, and can dig into your child’s shoulders.
n The shoulder straps should be adjustable so the backpack can be fitted to your child’s body. Straps that are too loose can cause the backpack to dangle uncomfortably and cause spinal misalignment and pain.
n If the backpack is still too heavy, talk to your child’s teacher. Ask if your child could leave the heaviest books at school, and bring home only lighter handout materials or workbooks. Ask the teacher for a set of text books to keep at home.
Taking care of your child’s back in the early developmental years is critical for maintaining back health.
Talk to your doctor about any concerns you have about your child’s health.
Greene County Primary Care serves patients from birth through geriatrics. To schedule an appointment please call 724-627-8582.