Topic of the Month

Backpack Safety

By: Dr. Jeffrey Melby

As much as your kids fight it, school is right around the corner. So, now is a great time to make sure your child has the right backpack and that he or she knows how to use it correctly. Here are a few helpful hints:

• A fully loaded backpack should only be 15 percent of a child’s weight. That is only 15 pounds worth of books for a 100-pound child. You might be surprised how few books that allows.
• The heaviest weight should be in the front of the backpack (closest to the child’s back).
• It is always a bad idea to wear a heavy backpack over just one shoulder.
• Try to put both arms through the straps at the same time rather than swinging the pack over one shoulder and then the other. This may require a helper to lift up the backpack while the wearer gets the straps in the proper positions.
• Wide straps are better. Narrow straps cause greater pressure on the shoulders, which can put pressure on the nerves that feed the hands and arms.
• If your child must carry a heavy load, a waist strap should be used to place some of the added weight to the hips.
• As always, balance is the key. If you notice your child changing his or her normal posture while wearing a backpack, either the straps need to be adjusted or something needs to be left behind.

If you have any questions, talk to your chiropractor. He or she will be happy to look at your child’s “backpack posture” and give you any needed recommendations. If you are buying a new backpack this year, he or she will also know what kind of pack is right for your child.

Your health is the most important item you have. Please, make sure an overstuffed backpack does not compromise the structure of your spine or interfere with your nervous system.

References:

(1) www.co.josephine.or.us

(2) American Occupational Therapy Association (www.aota.org)

(3) www.ccapta.org/backpacksafety.htm