Back to school is upon us, and many parents may be worried about the effect their children’s backpacks have on their backs. Filled with books, folders, and school supplies, these everyday items can quickly become a heavy burden, causing joint and muscle pain.
But your child’s backpack doesn’t have to be a constant source of pain. At Elite Chiropractic, we want you to know how your child’s backpack contributes to their discomfort and everything you can do to prevent back pain.
Why Is Your Child’s Backpack Causing Back Pain?
As your child progresses through school, their backpacks become heavier and heavier, weighed down by larger textbooks and more substantial course loads. The average school backpack may weigh up to 30 pounds. However, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that a child’s backpack not weigh more than 10% to 20% of their body weight. But how is the weight of the backpack causing back pain?
When your child wears a backpack, especially one that is too heavy, this weight is applied to the spine. As the weight increases and your child’s posture begins to suffer, they may experience herniated discs, neck and foot pain, sciatica, and chronic back pain. As your child’s back pain increases, their attempts to alleviate discomfort may cause more harm than good. Slumping to quell discomfort applies more pressure on the spine, creating even more substantial discomfort.
You may not even realize your child’s backpack is causing back pain until they vocalize it. However, a few signs that your child is experiencing back pain as a result of the weight of their backpack include the following:
- They struggle to get the backpack on and off
- They slump while wearing their backpack
- They choose not to wear it, instead dragging it or carrying it in their arms
If your child exhibits any of these signs, you may want to consider taking action to prevent back pain before it becomes a more significant, chronic problem.
1. Wear The Backpack Properly
Any excessive weight of a backpack is already bad for your back. But, if they are wearing their backpack wrong, the weight may cause even more substantial strain on your child’s back muscles. To prevent back pain from their backpack, ensure your child is wearing their backpack appropriately.
The shoulder straps of the backpack should be adjusted so the bag sits in the middle of your child’s back. It should fit closely to their body and rest in the curve of the lower back. Their backpack should never rest any more than four inches below their waistline.
2. Choose An Appropriate Backpack
Choosing the appropriate backpack is essential to prevent back pain. When selecting a backpack, choose one that is proportionate to your child’s height. The straps of the backpack should also be wide and padded to prevent them from sliding off of your child’s shoulders.
You may also want to find a backpack with a padded back to protect your child’s back from being stabbed by any items inside. Finally, look for a backpack with multiple compartments. This will allow you to organize the bag more appropriately.
3. Lighten The Load
While some items in your child’s backpack can’t be removed, there are some things they carry every day that can come out of their bag to help prevent back pain. You should recommend that they use a locker if it is an option to remove any unnecessary items between classes. You should also take any items out of their backpack that they don’t need to bring with them.
If the school offers it, you should also consider changing your child over to electronic textbooks. A textbook can weigh between two and six pounds. With more than one in their bag, the weight can increase substantially.
4. Wear The Waist Or Chest Strap
Some backpacks come with a waist or chest strap. If that is available, you should always recommend that your child wears it to prevent back pain. When they wear the waist or chest strap, it ensures the backpack sits as closely to their body as possible.
With these straps, you don’t have to worry that your child isn’t wearing their backpack correctly. In addition to ensuring the backpack is worn properly, the straps help with weight distribution. The waist strap helps distribute weight to the hips, while the chest strap helps prevent swaying.
5. Organize It Properly
Organizing your backpack appropriately plays a big role in the way the weight is distributed and how it may hurt your back. If you want to prevent back pain, there are a few organizational tips you should follow. The heaviest items in the bag should go firmly against your child’s back, while lighter items should go closer to the front.
These lighter items should also go closer to the bottom of the bag, while medium- to heavy-weight items should go closer to the top. By organizing your child’s backpack properly, you allow the weight to be distributed in a way that doesn’t place more stress on the shoulders and back.
6. Ask A Chiropractor For Help
If your child is dealing with chronic back pain that doesn’t go away, even after you’ve followed the advice above, you should schedule an appointment with a chiropractor. Your chiropractor may help alleviate pain by treating compression and tense muscles.
The chiropractor may also assign exercises for your child to help build strength in their back muscles. By strengthening these muscles, you may also notice a substantial improvement in your child’s posture, allowing for less strain on the spine. These treatments, coupled with the assigned exercises, may even prevent back pain from returning.
Prevent Back Pain With The Help Of Elite Chiropractic
If you or your child is dealing with back pain from heavy backpacks, you should schedule an appointment with a chiropractor you can trust. At Elite Chiropractic, our team of expert chiropractors has years of experience, making us confident that we can treat and prevent back pain caused by heavy backpacks.
In addition to treating back pain, we help patients heal from auto accidents, sports injuries, and more. If you are interested in scheduling an appointment to treat and prevent back pain or would like to speak with a member of our team, contact us today.
Leave a Reply