It is that time of year again – Back to School! Have you seen how heavy some of the backpacks are that the kids are carrying around the school yard? Backpacks come in all shapes, colors and sizes. They help kids of all ages express their own personal sense of style and when used properly, they are incredibly handy. The problem is that poor-positioning and over weight backpacks can drastically change the posture. As practical as backpacks are, they can strain muscles and joints and may cause back pain if they’re too heavy or used incorrectly.
Some helpful hints:
- Choose backpacks with wide padded straps.
- Use both straps to evenly distribute the weight across your body.
- Don’t let the backpack hang lower than 4 inches below the waist.
- Use rolling bags and lockers whenever possible.
- Don’t overload backpacks – ensure kids aren’t carrying more than 10% of their bodyweight.
According to the Spine Health Institute kids aged 12 and older have an increased risk of back problems compared to those below that threshold, and nearly a third of all teenagers may suffer from recurring back pain at some point.
The conclusion of a pub-med (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/
At Chait Chiropractic Center we celebrate our youth by educating parents on proper backpack safety. Call us today at 941-371-1070 to schedule your child’s complimentary posture/scoliosis analysis. Make sure to bring in your child’s backpack so that we can evaluate them with and without it.
