Dr Erin: Is school hazardous to your child’s health?
Backpacks have been getting heavier every year. Your kids are having to carry big loads on their backs, even though they may only weigh 60-70 pounds themselves! Protecting your child’s back while they use a backpack is an important thing to monitor as they go back to school.
In 2001, nearly 7,000 people went to the emergency room with a backpack-related injury. According to an Italian research study, the average child carries a backpack that would be the equivalent of a 39 pound burden for the average adult man. Of those children in the study who carried heavy backbacks to school, 60% had experienced back pain as a result.
The American Chiropractic Association recommends that your child’s backpack weight to be no more than 10% of your child’s body weight and they also encourage the use of ergonomically correct backpacks. The backpack should never hang below the wasitline and they should be using both shoulder straps. Using a bag with wide, padded straps and individualized comparments also help keep the weight distributed.
If your child experiences any pain or discomfort resulting from backpack use, call us right away at 224-653-8094 and we would be glad to assist you in diagnosing your child’s injury as well as make suggestions for injury prevention. We treat patients of all ages — our youngest patient was 1 1/2 months old — and have great results with chiropractic for kids!