Back pain is pervasive among American adults, but a new and disturbing
trend is emerging. Young children are suffering from back pain much
earlier than previous generations, and the use of overweight backpacks
is a contributing factor, according to the American Chiropractic
Association (ACA). In fact, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
reports that backpack-related injuries sent more than 7,000 people to
the emergency room in 2001 alone. "In my own practice, I have noticed a
marked increase in the number of young children who are complaining
about back, neck and shoulder pain," said Dr. Scott Bautch, immediate
past president of the ACA's Council on Occupational Health. "The first
question I ask these patients is, 'Do you carry a backpack to school?'
Almost always, the answer is 'yes.'" This new back pain trend among
youngsters isn't surprising when you consider the disproportionate
amounts of weight they carry in their backpacks - often slung over just
one shoulder. According to Dr. Bautch, a recent study conducted in Italy
found that the average child carries a backpack that would be the
equivalent of a 39-pound burden for a 176-pound man, or a 29-pound load
for a 132-pound woman. Of those children carrying heavy backpacks to
school, 60 percent had experienced back pain as a result. According to
Dr. Bautch, preliminary results of studies being conducted in France
show that the longer a child wears a backpack, the longer it takes for a
curvature or deformity of the spine to correct itself. "The question
that needs to be addressed next is, 'Does it ever return to normal?'"
Dr. Bautch added. The results of these types of studies are especially
important as more and more school districts - many of them in urban
areas - remove lockers from the premises, forcing students to carry
their books with them all day long. The problem has become so
widespread, in fact, that the California State Assembly recently passed
legislation that would force school districts to develop ways of
reducing the weight of students' backpacks. Similar legislation is being
considered in New Jersey as well. The ACA believes that limiting the
backpack's weight to no more than 10 percent of the child's body weight
and urging the use of ergonomically correct backpacks are possible
solutions. What Can You Do? The ACA offers the following tips to
help prevent the needless pain that backpack misuse could cause the
students in your household. - Make sure your child's backpack
weighs no more than 5 to 10 percent of his or her body weight. A heavier
backpack will cause your child to bend forward in an attempt to support
the weight on his or her back, rather than on the shoulders, by the
straps.
- The backpack should never hang more than four inches
below the waistline. A backpack that hangs too low increases the weight
on the shoulders, causing your child to lean forward when walking.
- A
backpack with individualized compartments helps in positioning the
contents most effectively. Make sure that pointy or bulky objects are
packed 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.
- Urge
your child to wear both shoulder straps. Lugging the backpack around by
one strap can cause the disproportionate shift of weight to one side,
leading to neck and muscle spasms, as well as low-back pain.
- Wide, padded straps are very important. Non-padded straps are uncomfortable, and can dig into your child's shoulders.
- The
shoulder straps should be adjustable so the backpack can be fitted to
your child's body. Straps that are too loose can cause the backpack to
dangle uncomfortably and cause spinal misalignment and pain.
- If
the backpack is still too heavy, talk to your child's teacher. Ask if
your child could leave the heaviest books at school, and bring home only
lighter hand-out materials or workbooks.
- Although the use of
rollerpacks - or backpacks on wheels - has become popular in recent
years, the ACA is now recommending that they be used cautiously and on a
limited basis by only those students who are not physically able to
carry a backpack. Some school districts have begun banning the use of
rollerpacks because they clutter hallways, resulting in dangerous trips
and falls.
- Consider the ACA-endorsed Samsonite Chiropak , a
school bag designed to ease much of the stress that carrying books can
place on one's body. Among other features, the Chiropak offers
comfortable body-contact surfaces and an adjustable hip/waist belt. Chiropractic Care Can Help...
If you or your child experiences any pain or discomfort resulting from
backpack use, call your doctor of chiropractic. Doctors of chiropractic
are licensed and trained to diagnose and treat patients of all ages and
will use a gentler type of treatment for children. In addition, doctors
of chiropractic can also prescribe exercises designed to help children
develop strong muscles, along with instruction in good nutrition,
posture and sleeping habits.
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