It’s that time of year again to start your back to school shopping. Your kids will need a back to school wardrobe, school supplies and a new backpack. But, did you know that buying your child the wrong backpack can lead to back pain for your child? In 2001 backpacks were shown to be the cause of at least 7,000 emergency room visits and countless complaints of muscle spasms, neck and shoulder pain in the United States.
Although, carrying a backpack is the best choice for your child in which to carry their heavy school books it is important to be certain the chosen backpack is right for your child. Children are both strong and flexible but their backs can only handle so much. It has been suggested that a child should carry no more than 10 percent of their body weight. This would suggest that an 11-year old child who weighs 80 pounds should be limited to carrying only eight pounds in their backpack.
The results of carrying too much weight, for too long leads to sore muscles, strained ligaments along with pain in the shoulders and throughout the child’s back. A good sign of back pain caused by their backpack is that the pain the child complains of during the week is nearly gone by Monday morning.
So, how do you find the correct backpack for your child? Backpacks come in many styles and these days many people have switched to rolling bags to eliminate the stress on the back. However, these rolling bags still lead to problems of their own since the weight is not evenly distributed on the arms and shoulders. Instead, it is best to wear a backpack with heavily padded straps that you can adjust on both shoulders that is not overloaded. The backpack should be worn close up against the low back and the weight should be evenly distributed in the bag. The best way to check a bag is to see how it feels by trying it on for comfort and by adding weight to the bag. It is also important to keep the heaviest items closest to the back, by putting them in the pack first, and evenly distributing them on the left and right side of the hips.
But, the most important thing to protect your child is to only allow them to carry items that are absolutely necessary. Don’t let them add nonessential items that add to their bulk. Another option is to talk to your child’s teacher about allowing them to leave the heaviest books at school, and instead just bring home lighter handouts or work books.
For more information, contact Dr. Kelly Herta, DC of Aligned Health Chiropractic & Wellness Center at 661-295-5200, located 27875 Smyth Drive, suite 100, Valencia.