Backpacks Weighing Our Children Down

Published on: August 16, 2003

Stand outside of any elementary school when the bell rings, and you will see children as young as five years old struggling to carry overloaded backpacks. Although some fancier versions have wheels, much like the suitcases we drag around airports, with stairs and school buses to deal with, most children still end up lifting a heavy load five days a week. Not only are textbooks heavier than ever and homework assignments are daily for most children, but some students now carry around laptops, CD players, personal digital assistants, mp3 players, and cellular phones as well. That’s a lot of stuff for a child’s growing body to support consistently.

In a study published in the May 2003 issue of the journal Spine, researchers found that the use of backpacks during the school day – and the weights of the backpacks – are associated with back pain. In a second study, presented by researcher Dr. Heidi Orloff at a May 28, 2003 meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine in San Francisco, researchers concluded that children actually hunch their bodies forward and lower their heads to accommodate the burden of wearing heavy backpacks.

As part of an effort the help alleviate this growing problem, the American Chiropractic Association offers the following tips to help prevent the needless pain that backpack misuse could cause students.

The backpack should weigh no more than 10 percent of a child’s bodyweight.

The backpack should never hang more than four inches below the waistline, otherwise it will increase the weight on the shoulders, causing the child to lean forward.

A backpack with individualized compartments helps in positioning the contents most effectively. Pack pointy or bulky objects away from the area that will rest on your child’s back.

Bigger is not necessarily better. The more room there is in a backpack, the more your child will carry and the heavier the backpack will be.

Wear both shoulder straps to distribute the weigh of the backpack evenly.

Wide, padded straps are very important. Non-padded straps can dig into your child’s shoulders.

Shoulder straps should be adjustable so the backpack can be fitted to your child’s body.

For more information visit: www.acatoday.