Children Backpack To School – Are Backpacks Harming Their Back?

You see it every school day. School children who are slightly hunched over, carrying a backpack on their backs.

The concern is if this is a heavy back pack for kids. They have to hunch forward a bit many times under The weight and do this dozens of times per day.

Heavy Backpacks Cause Harm

A recent study suggests that children may be doing themselves harm with heavy backpacks.

Fifty-five percent of the Massachusetts children surveyed by researchers at Simmons College typically carry loads heavier than 15 percent of their body weight – the limit recommended by the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons

One-third of the 345 children in grades 5 through 8 surveyed reported back pain that forced them to
see a doctor, miss school or skip athletic activities. Because children are still developing, they are more susceptible to injury.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has reported that in 1999, more than 800 youngsters
were treated in emergency rooms for backpack-related injuries.

Parent Look At Your Child’s Backpack

Perhaps you should review with your child the best ways to carry the backpack. What will help: 0bviously not to overload the backpack. Perhaps putting in only what is needed for a couple of hours at school and then going back to the locker for the next batch.

They should not put the backpack strap over one shoulder and not the other. Using both straps on the pack is good for weight distribution. Some do have a hip belt as well and use of this is recommended by health professionals. Packs designed with metal frames are good as well, although not really popular among most school aged children.

If your child has been carrying a heavy backpack to school, or complains of back problems, pain or headaches, it would be wise to take him/her to a Chiropractor to have an analysis of the spine and it’s
alignment as a part of making sure that your child stays healthy.