Your Backpack Can Lead to Spinal Compression

It is worrisome to note that schoolchildren are suffering, more and more, from back pain — an ailment previously limited to the adult population. The ubiquitous backpacks, used to carry everything children need for school, have been identified as a key contributor to back pain in kids.

In recent years, the number of children lugging heavy, overweight backpacks is staggering. A typical scene is one with kids carrying bulky backpacks slung over one shoulder. In a survey recently conducted, it was found that the average child carries a backpack equivalent to 39 pounds for a 176-pound man, and 29 pounds for an 132-pound woman. Inevitably, it was determined that 60 percent of the children lugging these heavy backpacks suffered from the resultant back pain.

A preliminary study showed the connection between the length of time spent wearing an overweight backpack and the time needed to correct the spine deformity resulting from it.

School district officials are paying attention to these studies, mostly because some institutions have removed lockers altogether. This, in turn, also removes the choice of whether their students carry overstuffed bags. The latest ACA recommendation says that a child should not carry backpacks weighing more than 10 percent of his or her body weight.

What You Can Do
The ACA has come up with recommendations to prevent the occurrence of backpack-associated back pain.

• Your child's backpack should not exceed the recommended weight of 10 percent of his or her weight. If it does, your may bend forward to accommodate the extra load on his or her back, instead of using muscles and the shoulder straps.
• The correct position for carrying a backpack is attained by not letting it fall more than four inches below the waist. If it does, your child will overcompensate by leaning forward; this is unhealthy.
• Pointed and/or bulky objects should be kept away from the child's back.
• Choose smaller sized backpacks that will hold only the necessary belongings. Your child's back will not suffer from overloading and can take a rest.
• Teach your child to use both straps when wearing a backpack. This will minimize neck and muscle spasms and help prevent back pain. Wearing only one strap continually will place too much stress on one side.
• Buy backpacks with wide and padded straps to provide comfort. Thin and unpadded straps can cause pain on your child's shoulders by cutting into them.
• Buy backpacks with adjustable straps so that you can fit them properly to your child's shoulders. Straps that hang loosely can make the bag move freely and this can cause pain and spinal deformity.
• Seek the help of your child's teacher in minimizing the load of the student's backpacks. The teacher can assign homework in such a way that your child does not have to carry the big books everyday and can leave them at school.
• Per ACA recommendation, do not let your child use a rollerpack, or a backpack on wheels, unless otherwise indicated. Rollerpacks create clutter in school hallways and may lead to harmful falls.
  
  

Chiropractic Help
If back pain is being experienced by you or your child as a result of carrying backpacks, contact your chiropractic doctor. Chiropractors are professionals who are trained and licensed to diagnose and treat back pain in people, regardless of their age bracket.

Chiropractic doctors are also experts in designing an exercise regimen that will develop strong muscles in your child, along with dispensing advice and guidance on good eating habits and correct posture including sleeping positions.