Back to School Backpack Safety

This subject is a pretty popular one around this time of year as Summer vacation winds down and kids from pre-school on up to college start prepearing for the upcoming school year.  Most of them may be purchasing a new backpack or cleaning out last year's that has sat in one spot for the past three months.  In any case, a backpack could be a potential source of back and neck pain with or without headaches, which are seen a lot, generally, in chiropractic offices. 

How is this possible?  A lot of it has to do with how the backpack is worn and how much weight is in it.  A lot of people tend to wear a backpack with only one strap over a shoulder bacuase it is more convenient or looks better.  The problem with this is that all the weight of the pack is situated to one side of the body, putting strain on the other side from leaning to compensate.  Over a short period of time, this can lead to lower and upper back pain along with pain in the shoulders and the neck.  If not addressed sooner, it can increase the rate of the development of chronic back problems later in life.  As for the weight, the amount that kids are carrying now seems to have increased since I was in school.  Even then, I felt like I was carrying a lot (I still seem to be now).  The recommendation for the amount of weight in a backpack is about 10-15% of the child's body weight.  Anymore than this can start to put stress on the child's body and posture as he/she compensates by bending forward at the waist or hips and arching the back into more of a slumped position.  Back muscles wil be stressed along with the spine since it is now being compressed in an unnatural position.   

The best way to pick up and wear a backpack is using both shoulder straps (which should be fairly wide and padded so they don't dig into the shoulders), positioned evenly in the middle of the back and not sagging down to the buttocks.  The weight should be distributed so the heaviest items are positined closer to the mid-portion of the body.  When purchasing a new backpack, buying one with a waist belt can help distribute the weight more evenly and extra padding on the back can provide more comfort and protection from objects inside trying to poke out.  Messenger bags or bags that are carried on the shoulder or accross the chest are a nice alternative to backpacks, but they can have a similar effect on the body as carrying a backpack with one strap over one shoulder.

Once school starts, parents should also encourage their kids to use their desk or locker more often in order to keep the backpack's weight on the lighter side throughout the day.  Also, less is better; have them leave behind, either at home or in the desk/locker, anything that is unnecessary such as cell phones, laptops, etc.  It is recommended, too, that they should only bring home what is needed for homework and studying each night, unless they are being slammed with assignements, tests, or are just plain procrastinating.

Lastly, regular visits to your local chiropractor can also be beneficial in prevention or treatment of back/neck/shoulder pain and/or headaches associated with backpack use or any other cause.