Youths: Backpack Safety

• Buying

• Fitting

• Loading

• Lifting

• Physical Activity

Backpacks are very useful for stashing schoolwork, but a problem is that they may hold more than the child can carry. The injuries associated with heavy backpacks can include muscle pains and spasms, poor posture, spine injury and strain leading to headaches.

For younger children, their spine can still easily be reshaped as muscle strength is still developing, which means that if the weight distribution is wrong there is a risk of long-term postural damage. An overloaded backpack not only puts too much pressure on the shoulders, but it also puts extra weight on the hips, knees and ankles too.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission shared that annual backpack related injuries send 5,000 children to the Emergency Department and more than 14,000 kids are treated for backpack-related injuries.

TIPS

• Choosing a backpack:

  • Soft, lightweight material without ridges that could rub and be uncomfortable

  • Thick, adjustable shoulder straps to provide better support and weight distribution

  • The backpack should be no wider than child’s torso, top of the pack at the shoulders and the bottom of the pack is no more than two inches below the waist

fig. 1

• Check for proper fit (see fig. 1):

  • Most backpacks are designed to outline the shape of the back, with the pack’s top near or just below the top of the shoulders

  • Encourage your child to wear both straps, and the chest and waist strap if those are available on the backpack

  • The bottom should be just below the waist

  • Adjust backpack straps for proper alignment

• Keep heavier items closest to the back:

  • The closer the weight is to the center of the body, the better the body’s muscle and bone system can handle the load

  • Use both shoulder straps

  • Never sling a loaded pack over one shoulder

  • Use chest and waist straps if your backpack has them, to keep the load evenly distributed

• Keep the load down:

  • Loads should be only 10 to 15 percent of the user’s body weight

  • If you weigh 60 pounds, it’s recommended that a loaded backpack weighs no more than 6 to 10 pounds. Use your bathroom scale to check it

  • Try to remove unnecessary items from the pack

  • Plan ahead with homework to allow smaller loads daily instead of large and heavy loads on the weekends

• Inside the backpack:

  • The weight of books and other school accessories should be evenly distributed

  • Books and exercise books should be carried as close to the back as possible

  • Use separate compartments or removable boxes to make this easy

• Limit the lifting:

  • If rolling backpacks are allowed, they’re an excellent alternative

  • If a traditional backpack is required, take it off when standing still. Even short breaks can help decrease muscle strain

  • When putting the backpack on or taking it off, use your legs to lift the load and place it gently on your back

• Stay strong:

  • Good core strength of the abdominals and trunk muscles can prevent injuries to the back, neck and shoulders

  • Physical activity also can help prevent weight gain, which also can increase the load to these same areas.