Backpack, Not Back Ache - How to Keep Kids from overloading this necessity

Backpack, Not Back Ache
How to Keep Kids From Overloading This Necessity

Click here to view this story as it appeared in the Morganton News Herald (Includes additional graphics and information) in pdf format.

By ANNA WILSON - Blue Ridge HealthCare

SPECIAL TO THE NEWS HERALD

If your child comes home from school complaining about an aching back, a tingling sensation in the arms, numbness in his hands, or hurting shoulders, chances are that a heavy backpack may be to blame.

“With kids carrying everything from books, cell phones, video games and CD players, it’s no wonder backpacks weigh so much,” said Travis Prevette, OTR/L, an occupational therapist at Blue Ridge HealthCare. “If they complain, then it’s too heavy.”

“A heavy backpack can lead to poor posture and stress on the muscles of the neck, back and shoulders,” according to Prevette.

In a survey by the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, most doctors felt that backpacks weighing 20 pounds or more posed a health risk. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children carry no more than 10 to 20 percent of their body weight in a backpack.

Other experts set the limit at no more than 15 percent, and preferably even less. This means that a child who weighs 100 pounds should carry a backpack that weighs no more than 15 pounds. (If in doubt, weigh the backpack on your bathroom scale.)

If you’re still unsure if the weight is just right, the web site www.BlueRidgeHealth.org/backpack.html offers a calculator that figures out for you if the backpack is too heavy in regards to your child’s weight.

Prevette offers these back-protecting tips for kids of all sizes:

Use rolling backpacks if your child’s school allows them.
Choose backpacks ending above the waist, with padded shoulder straps and a belt.
Wear backpacks on both shoulders.
Pull the shoulder straps snug.
Bend your knees when lifting the backpack.
Get a second set of schoolbooks to keep at home.
Carry only what’s necessary each day.

It’s also important to load the backpack correctly. Prevette advises putting the heaviest items closest to the child’s back and arranging the items so they won’t slide around.

Wearing the pack correctly will also cut down on strain. Use both shoulder straps, which should be well padded. Wearing a pack slung over one shoulder can cause a child to lean to one side.

A pack that hangs loosely from the back can pull the child backward and strain muscles.

Prevette says if the pack comes with a waist belt, it should be worn. “This helps distribute the pack’s weight more evenly,” he said.

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.

Parents should check what their child carries to school and brings home. Make sure the items are necessary to the day’s activities.

“Backpacks come in all shapes and sizes,” Prevette said. “Choose the right size pack for your child.”

To search for information on a variety of health topics, please visit our web site at www.BlueRidgeHealth.org.

Anna Wilson is the health writer at Blue Ridge HealthCare.

Blue Ridge HealthCare recommends this link as a good source for additional backpack safety and health tips: About.Com's Pediatrics Page

The second largest employer in Burke County, Blue Ridge HealthCare serves a four-county area and includes Grace and Valdese hospitals, Blue Ridge Home HealthCare, Grace Heights and College Pines Health & Rehabilitation Centers, Grace Ridge Retirement Community, Phifer Wellness Center and a number of physician practices.