Are you and your children ready for school to begin this year? Have you considered their spinal health when it comes to heavy backpacks? According to the US consumer product safety council, over 25,000 children have been treated for injuries due to improper school backpack use in just one year. There is a direct correlation of the weight of your child’s backpack and the weight of the child. Improper backpack utilization can cause back pain and muscle fatigue which can result in hospital visits.
With school around the corner, a backpack is the most critical school supply you can buy for your child. Instead of letting your child choose their own backpack based upon what’s in style, let us provide you with some guidelines before making that purchase.
- The biggest mistake made is the backpack is just too heavy for your child. The weight of a backpack should never exceed more than 10% of your child’s body weight.
- The backpack should never be wider than your child’s chest or longer than your child’s torso. Never have the backpack hang more than 4 inches below the waist.
- Make sure that the backpack is padded in the back with wide shoulder straps. There should be hip and chest belts to transfer the weight of the backpack to the hips and torso.
- You can have the perfect school backpack, but unless they use it properly, injuries may still result. Use both shoulder straps. Using only one shoulder strap can cause the weight to shift, causing your child to compensate for the improper weight.
- When picking up the backpack make sure that their knees are bent lifting with their legs. Help them place heavier items at the bottom of the pack and towards the front for better stability. If it seems like the child is struggling, this may be a sign that the backpack is too heavy or improper for your child.
When all else fails and your child is experiencing pain or signs of injury from their backpack, have them evaluated by their chiropractic physician whose expertise is in the spine. There may be underlying causes that makes your child more susceptible to injuries, such as a history of scoliosis or genetic weaknesses of the discs that may predispose your child to injuries. Call Fogarty Chiropractic Life Clinic to schedule your appointment today at (321) 636-5200.
