Take a load off: Doctors warn against overloaded backpacks
It's September, and the kids are going back to school in their new fall clothes. Most likely, they're also sporting a great new backpack that will hold everything AND the kitchen sink. But as great as backpacks are for hauling students' books and supplies to and from school, they can also wreak havoc on their backs and posture.
Backpack safety tips
Recent studies show that as many as 30 to 50% of students ages 15 to 16 suffer from back pain, which may be caused by the improper use of backpacks, as well as a number of other factors.
"Almost every kid and teen in the country uses a backpack of some sort," says
Suken Shah, MD, Virtua/duPont pediatric orthopaedic surgeon.
"As opposed to single strap shoulder bags, backpacks are great for supporting the weight of school books and gym gear. When worn properly, they help evenly distribute the weight across the back, allowing the back and the abdominal muscles to help support the weight of all that gear," says Dr. Shah, who specializes in sports medicine and scoliosis treatment.
The best way to wear a backpack is with both straps over the shoulders. The load should be light enough so that your child can walk or stand erect, without hunching forward or leaning to the side. "Proper use is the key to keeping backpacks from causing your child back pain or injury," advises Dr. Shah.
Following are some simple backpack safety tips for keeping your child's back healthy and strong:
- Use both shoulders. Tell your child not to wear the backpack on one shoulder; your child should use both shoulder straps.
- No overloading. Tell your child not to overload a pack with non-essentials. Doctors and physical therapists suggest that kids and teens carry no more than 15 to 20 percent of their body weight in a backpack.
- Make locker stops. Suggest that your child use a school locker more often to drop off heavy textbooks, gym clothes or project materials.
- Lighten the load. Recommend that your child leave laptops, beauty supplies, cell phones, CD/DVD players, and other items not required for classes in a locker or at home.
- Avoid "heavy Fridays." Help your child plan homework so that it can be spread throughout the week. Procrastinating and leaving it all for the weekend usually means carrying tons of books home each Friday.
- Pick it up properly. Teach your child to pick up a backpack properly. Heavy things should be picked up by bending at the knees while keeping the shoulders and back straight. This may feel weird at first, but tell your child to keep at it until it feels natural.
- Promote regular exercise. This will help strengthen the muscles in the torso, back, abdomen and shoulders. Weight training and yoga are two activities that can be effective for helping ease those back pain woes. Of course, consult your child's doctor before beginning any exercise training program.