| Teacher Supplies
home > Teacher Supplies
Info Center > Backpacks
and back pain
Backpacks and back pain
Click
here to see our selection of Backpacks and back pain.
 Every
school year millions of children walk to, from and around the school
carrying backpacks. Backpacks are essential because students need
to carry their books and materials. However, a heavy backpack will
cause the most back pain. Following a few guidelines may be able
to help with backpacks and back pain for your children.
· Backpacks and back pain: How the back
responds to the backpacks:
A backpack allows a person to carry more than they could carry in
their arms. The risk, with backpacks and back pain, is overload.
Overload can strain the back, neck and shoulders. The back will
compensate for any backpack load applied to it for an extended period
of time. Heavy backpacks cause back pain because they:
1) Cause you to lean forward. This will reducing balance and make
it easier to fall
2) Distort the natural curves in the middle and lower backs. This
causes muscle strain and irritation to the spinal joints and the
rib cage.
3) Cause rounding of the shoulders
Carrying backpacks over one shoulder may be popular with kids,
but it will make the muscles strain to compensate for the uneven
weight. Backpacks cause this kind of back pain, by stressing the
middle back, ribs and lower back more on one side than the other,
causing muscle strain, muscle spasm and back pain in the short term
and speed the development of back problems later in life.
· Backpacks and back pain: Medical research
on backpacks:
Medical literature on this issue shows inconsistent recommendations
on how to avoid episodes of back pain in children who carry backpacks,
but the literature also currently suggests there is little chance
a child will be permanently injured by carrying a heavy backpack.
- Some suggest limiting the backpack weight to 10-15% of the child’s
body weight, but this recommendation is not based on scientific
research.
- Another article investigated the correlation between spinal
deformity and how the child wears the backpack. They did not investigate
whether children who carry heavy backpacks are more likely to
experience long term spinal deformity. But it would make sense.
· Backpacks and back pain: Tips to prevent
back pain from backpacks:
There are very few studies. Even the medical literature does not
agree on specific approaches to backpack safety to avoid back pain.
Common sense is the best tool to reduce that a child will suffer
back pain due to carrying a backpack.
- Ask your child if they feel any back aches or pain
- Look for backpack design features that help reduce the chance
of back pain:
- Buy backpacks using lightweight material (canvas as opposed
to leather).
- Buy backpacks with two padded, wide (2-inches), adjustable shoulder
straps on the backpack.
- Buy backpacks with padded backs.
- Buy backpacks with individualized compartments.
- Buy backpacks with a hip strap, waist belt or frame to redistribute
the weight of the backpack from the shoulders and back to the
pelvis.
- Buy backpacks with wheels so that the backpack can be pulled
rather than carried to avoid back pain.
- Teach your child how to properly load and wear the backpack
to avoid back pain:
- Encourage your child to use both shoulder straps and wear the
backpack on the back rather than over one shoulder.
- Pack the heaviest objects into the backpack first so they are
carried lower and closest to the body.
- TEACHERS! Try to limit the amount of heavy class materials
the students must carry in their backpacks.
- Try to pack sharp or bulky objects in the backpack so they do
not contact the back.
- Make sure the child does not lean forward when walking; if
this is necessary, there is too much weight in the backpack.
- If the child complains of back pain, reduce the weight in the
backpack immediately.
- Train your children/students to clean out the backpack at least
once a week.
- Choose the smallest backpack that will meet the childs needs.
- Talk to your childs teacher. Maybe he or she can keep one set
of books in the classroom for daily work and try to leave the
heavy books at home. Maybe the teachers can even make photocopies
of homework from the text that can be more easily carried.
- Try to attend PTA meetings so that you can help discuss any
of these issues relating to backpacks and back pain.
- There are also a number of alternatives to traditional backpacks
on the market with saddle bags, rollerbags, backpacks with inflatable
lumbar support and straps, totally inflatable backpacks and molded
backpacks.
There are some solutions to the problem of backpacks and back pain.
Try to see what works for your child!
This weeks top selling teacher supplies
Click here to see more teaching
products
Discuss teaching ideas, lesson plans, classroom
strategies
and more on our teacher
forum!
|
