Courtesy of The American Occupational Therapy Association Inc.
As the kids head back to school, it's time to think about how kids wear their backpacks and the effects it could have on their health.
• More than 79 million students in the U.S. carry backpacks
• More than 23,000 backpack-related injuries were treated at hospital emergency rooms, physician offices and clinics in 2007
• It is recommended that a loaded backpack should never weigh more than 15 percent of the student's total body weight (example: 100 lb. student's backpack should be no more than 15 lbs.)
• About 55 percent of students carry a backpack that is heavier than 15 percent of their body weight
So what can be done? Parents can take steps to help children load and wear backpacks the correct way to avoid health problems.
Loading a Pack
• Keep the weight of the backpack to no more than 15 percent of the child's body weight
• Load heaviest items closest to the child's back (the back of the pack)
• Arrange books and materials so they won't slide around in the backpack
• Check what your child carries to school and brings home, and make sure the items are necessary for the day's activities
• If the backpack is too heavy or tightly packed, your child can hand carry a book or other item outside of the pack
• If the backpack is too heavy on a regular basis, consider using a book bag on wheels if your child's school allows it
Wearing a Pack
• Distribute weight evenly by using both straps -- wearing a pack slung over one shoulder can cause a child to lean to one side, curving the spine and causing pain or discomfort
• Select a pack with well-padded shoulder straps -- shoulders and necks have many blood vessels and nerves that can cause pain and tingling in the neck, arms and hands when too much pressure is applied
• Adjust the shoulder straps so that the pack fits snugly on the child's back -- a pack that hangs loosely from the back can pull the child backward and strain muscles
• Wear the waist belt if the backpack has one -- this helps distribute the pack's weight more evenly
• The bottom of the pack should rest in the curve of the lower back -- it should never rest more than four inches below the child's waistline
• School backpacks come in different sizes for different ages -- choose the right size pack for your child as well as one with enough room for necessary school items.