Back To School Without Back Pain

By Author: Amy Lawrence
Total Articles: 1
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When you hear about Back pain, the first thing coming to your mind is that it is only shown and studied among the adults. The prevalence in School aged children is not receiving much attention. You should know that elementary, middle and high school students who are carrying backpacks that weigh enough to cause chronic back pain, poor posture, and even decreased lung volume. But it's not just that their bags are heavy, it's their physical frame isn’t developed enough or large enough to carry around bags that are so heavy. This is particularly prominent in spine development in children who are no longer in primary school but are still too small physically to carry large bags, the same large bags as children much older and physically stronger are carrying.

The spine is at a critical stage of development in children between 12 – 14 years of age. This is also the stage at which the bag weight to body weight ratio is likely to be high as some students are still quite small but carry loads similar to larger and older children.

How you carry your backpack and the type of backpack you use are all important ...
... too. Here’s a basic list of how to -

Weight - The whole weight of the book bag should be not exceed 10 - 15% of child's body weight. For example, an 8th-grader weighing 130 pounds should carry no more than 13 pounds. When the bags gets heavier its natural that the child leans forwards in order to balance the extra weight, by this posture unnecessary stress will be developed to the midback musculature.

Fit - The FIT of the school bag should not be more than 4 inch under the waistline. When it exceeds 4 inches it will have the same effect as that of the weight that child will lean forward. So you should adjust the straps of the school bag so that it positions higher on the back. Also the backpack should be always worn on two straps, it will distribute the weight on each shoulder equally preventing neck and shoulder pain.

Compartments - Use the compartments of your backpack wisely, adding too much to the main compartment of the bag causes the bag to have a center of gravity further away from the wearer. This in turn again leads to child leaning forward! Place all heavy items at the base of the pack, close to the spine, for a better distribution of the weight

Size - the bigger the book bag the more likely the child is to fill it, only making it heavier. The size of the straps also plays a role in how the weight of the book bag is distributed atop the shoulders. Wider straps are suggested as it allows for a larger distribution of weight. Make sure the backpack is sturdy and appropriately sized – no wider than the student’s chest. Choose a backpack with broad, padded shoulder straps

Children go through a lot of changes, both physically and mentally. If your child has neck, back or shoulder pain and may not be wearing his/her book bag correctly, first address any corrections in size, fit or wear. if the neck, back, or shoulder pain persists, Consult a Spine care specialist.