Backpacks are commonly used by most kids for school, sports and casual activities. They are used to store items they need throughout the day and provide a safe place to keep things dry and within reach. While convenient, they also pose a serious health risk when they are overloaded with heavy objects like books and shoes, explains the American College of Sports Medicine. The way they are worn and the weight they impose on the body are both serious problems that need to be addressed.
Reasons
When the school year begins, your child may look to a new backpack as being his fashion statement for the fall. Because of convenience, your child may choose to cram his schoolwork along with books and extra projects into his backpack to make bulkier items easier to carry. This can make the backpack very heavy and cause an array of health problems including strain and pressure on his neck, shoulder and back.
Types
There are several different options available that steer away from the traditional two-strap backpack. If you have to use a two-strap backpack, make sure that each strap is even to promote weight distribution and avoid placing more weight on one shoulder rather than the other. Use a chest strap if necessary to help support the backpack. One-strap backpacks that fit over the shoulder and down the front of the chest help the backpack shift its weight to the upper back and makes weight distribution more manageable.
Function
The proper function of a backpack should be to allow your hands to be free and reduce strain on your arms. When a backpack is weighed down, it can make things like walking difficult and affect your balance. A backpack that is evenly distributed by weight should feel like it is barely there and should not affect how you walk or stand. According to Healthy Children, a good backpack is designed specifically to allow your body's strongest muscles to carry the weight.
Effects
Linda Rhodes, occupational therapist at MCG Health Children's Medical Center, explains that 6,000 children are injured yearly from a heavy backpack. Heavily loaded backpacks can also lead to future injuries of the spine because of overuse of muscle groups. Using heavy backpacks day after day can also cause back strain and pulled muscles in the upper body.
Solutions
A backpack should never exceed 20 percent of your body weight, explains Spine Universe. Keep your backpack small --- just enough to hold a book or two and never overstuff it or overfill side pockets and compartments. Try to keep heavy items such as textbooks as close to your back as possible to reduce pulling and strain on your shoulders. Try to find a backpack that has extra padding.
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