Children get their back and backpacks checked in Livermore, CA
With the new school year on it’s way, many of my patients have brought their child in complaining of bad posture and back complaints. It is important to realize that backpacks are a huge contributor to children’s spinal problems and postural issues that lead to chronic neck and back pain in their adulthood.
There are three main areas to be concerned about when it comes to a safe backpack: Choosing the right backpack, wearing the backpack and finally the weight of the backpack.
- Choosing the correct backpack- Often times, kids want a one shoulder or across the body style of bag which might be hip but it is not as safe as a two strap back pack to carry their heavy items. When selecting the bag, make sure they try it on and the straps fit properly so that the bag is snug to the body. It is also important to choose a bag that has wide padded straps so that the straps don’t put pressure on the shoulders and possibly risk your child from having their nerves to their arms affected. It is also important that the bag isn’t too large. When your child wears their backpack, the bottom of the bag should sag to their buttocks and below. This can cause tension in the muscles of the neck and back and create spinal injuries.
- Wearing the backpack correctly-Often times kids wear their backpack on one shoulder which is a quick way to create mis-aligned vertebrae and subluxations. Over time chronic back, shoulder and neck pain can become a problem from this habit. Both straps should be worn on both shoulders and the straps should fit snug. It is also important that your child learn to lift their bag up properly to avoid back muscle strain. As with lifting a heavy box by bending at the knees, it is also a good idea to teach your child to lift their bag by bending their knees and using the muscles of their legs instead of their back. It is a good idea to look for a bag that has a waist band and padding in the back so that the bag will fit more comfortably and take off pressure from the back.
- Weight of the backpack-This is a huge deal as so many children now have to lug all their books back and forth from school without any locker use. The rule of weight is that the weight of the backpack should not exceed 15% of your child’s body weight. So check out the math, if your child weighs 80 pounds, their backpack should only be 8-10 pounds in weight. Not very heavy! That is why it is a good idea to make sure that they only carry necessary items in their bag and to purchase paperback books if possible. If the bag has compartments which I recommend, it is best to use all the compartments and keep the heaviest books closes to the back as it offers more core and back support.
Lastly, remember if your child is complaining of neck pain or you notice their posture slouching have them checked by your chiropractor to make sure they are not injuring their spines.
This month of September at Haque Chiropractic we will be check children’s posture and their backpacks complimentary. Call us at (925) 960-1960 to make an appointment today!
