With the start of school right around the corner, it’s a
good time to discuss backpack safety.
While I don’t believe that backpacks are inherently evil, it is common
knowledge that overloaded and improper fitting backpacks can lead to numerous
spinal problems and symptoms including back pain, neck pain, shoulder pain, and
headaches. In fact, the journal Spine reported that 74% of backpack
users complained of such symptoms and also had “poorer general health” than
those not using a backpack.
The professional weight recommendation is that a backpack
should not weigh more than 15% of the child’s body weight due to the risk of
serious back pain and scoliosis complications.
For most kids, this is not a great deal of weight! Both straps need to be worn over both
shoulders and the bulk of the pack should rest upon the lower back. If you can find a pack with elastic in the
shoulder straps, this also relieves some stress/shock of the upper back and
neck.
See the chart below to determine how heavy your child's, or your backpack should be.
No comments:
Post a Comment