Going to school can be "Back Breaking" work.
Don't let a heavy backpack ruin your child's day.
The American Chiropractic Association, it's Council on Occupational Health and
The Institute of Chiropractic & Acupuncture Therapy
offer the following tips to help prevent the needless pain an over stuffed
backpack could cause the student in your household.
And now that backpacks have begun to replace briefcases in the work place, you
too, might want to follow this advice.
Make sure your child's backpack weighs no more than 5 to 10
percent of his or her body weight. The pack pack will cause your child
to begin bending forward in an attempt to support the weight on his or back
rather than on the shoulders, by the straps.
A back pack with individualized compartments will help you
position the contents most effectively and ensure that your child's sandwich
isn't flattened by a heavy textbook.
When packing the back pack, make sure that pointy or bulky
objects are packed away from the area that will rest on the child's back.
An uneven surface rubbing against your child's back could cause painful
blisters.
Tell your child to use both shoulder straps, not just one.
A back pack slung over one shoulder disproportionately shifts all of the
weight to one side, and can cause not only neck and muscle spasms, but also
low back pain.
Padded shoulder straps are very important. Not only will
they be more comfortable than non-padded straps, but they will also help
prevent the straps from digging into your child's shoulders.
The shoulder straps should be adjustable, so the back pack can
be fitted to your child's body. Shoulder straps that are too loose can
cause the backpack to dangle uncomfortably, and cause misalignment and pain.
If the back pack is still too heavy, talk with your child's
teacher. It might be possible to leave the heaviest books at school, and
bring home only lighter handout materials or work books.
Talk to your child about the proper use of backpacks and help
him or her understand why this and other ergonomic issues are important.
A child who is educated early in life on these issues can apply this knowledge
late in life (at home or in the office) and as a result, your child will be
happier and healthier.
Working together for the betterment of our children's
health!
