Improper use may result in neck, shoulder, back pain, and posture issues
Most children will step into the school this fall carrying a backpack.
The universal piece of back-to-school gear can be a benefit or a burden to the bones and posture of a student.
Kalkaska Memorial Health Center Rehabilitation Services Director Leanne Berry said backpacks are a better tool for carrying around heavy school books and supplies than shoulder bags or other hand-carried briefcases or purses because weight can be distributed more evenly across the body.
“What we tend to see is when a backpack is not used properly, such as just flung on one shoulder or if it has too much weight in proportion to the child’s body weight, problems can develop,” she said.
Improper backpack use can injure muscles and joints, but is not a cause of scoliosis, a sideways curve of the spine.
The American Physical Therapy Association recommends parents choose a lightweight pack with wide padded shoulder straps and a padded back to keep kids from being poked by sharp objects such as pencils and notebooks inside the pack. Key points to remember are:
- A child should carry no more than 10 - 15 percent of their body weight.
- Children should wear the pack across both shoulders to distribute weight, and the backpack should not extend below the lower back
- Put heaviest items, such as textbooks, closest to the center of the back.
- When picking up a backpack, children should use both hands and bend at the knees when lifting the pack to their shoulders.
- Shoulder straps should be adjusted so the child can put on and take off the pack without difficulty but should not be too loose.
“If your child is struggling to put the backpack on,” Berry said. “That means it’s too heavy. If the child complains about back or neck pain, take steps to lighten their load and ensure they are using both straps.”
More information on backpack use may be found at the American Physical Therapy Association website apta.org.