Backpack Syndrome - Could Your Child’s Backpack Be Impacting Their Health?
Many of you will have waved your children off to school at the beginning of this month and reminisced at how, back in your schooldays, you managed to get all your essentials into a satchel, Adidas or Gola crossbody bag without it seemingly feeling as heavy as a Sherpa's expedition kit!
With each new academic year, it seems the amount of books, stationery and must-have 'essentials' your child stuffs into their backpack is ever-increasing. Many pupils are fortunate to have the use of a school locker in which they can store some items until needed, but many have no option but to carry around heavy backpacks all day.
Did you know that wearing a heavy backpack can cause 'Backpack Syndrome' ? The term refers to the various physical conditions associated with wearing a heavy backpack (and wearing one incorrectly). Children may suffer from headaches and fatigue, or experience numbness in their arms because their backpack is too heavy, the strap is too thin or it's being carried with too much weight on one part of the body.
Backpack Syndrome may include skeletal deformities over time. Your child may feel the need to lean forward when wearing a heavy backpack, which can affect the lower back's natural curve, or cause an increased curve in the upper back. Other issues may be rounded shoulders or alterations to head-neck angles, which may all lead to shoulder and back pain – and poor posture (leading to other issues). In more serious cases, wearing a heavy backpack incorrectly may also cause disc compression. It is important to remember that a child's musculoskeletal system is still developing well into adolescence.
How To Correctly Wear Backpack…
The backpack pack should not extend past the waist – it should ride an inch or more above the hips. The bottom of the pack should rest in the curve of the lower back and should never rest more than four inches below the child's waistline.
If the backpack has a waist strap or chest strap, you should use it. Waist straps help to distribute the weight load to the hips, relieving shoulder pressure. Use them for added stability and support.
Your child should resist the temptation to wear their backpack over just one shoulder. Always use both shoulder straps to distribute the weight evenly. Wearing it on one side can lead to muscle imbalance and discomfort.
Adjust the backpack to sit high and close to the body, even with your child's shoulder blades. The key to proper backpack-wearing is to make sure that it fits well on your back. When your backpack hangs too low and too far from your body, you end up leaning forward slightly to compensate for the load. A pack that hangs loosely from the back can pull the child backwards and strain muscles between the shoulders. The back and abdominal muscles – the strongest in the body – will support the pack while it also stabilises your child's trunk, holding the upper body in good postural alignment.
Choose a backpack that's appropriate to the child's size and age. Most child backpacks are labelled with age-range.
Select a backpack with well-padded shoulder straps. The shoulders and neck are rich in blood vessels and nerves which, when constricted, can cause pain and tingling in the neck, arms and hands.
Never allow a child to carry more than 15% of his or her body weight. For example, a child who weighs 100 pounds should not carry a school backpack that weighs more than 15 pounds.
Load heaviest items closest to the child's back. Items should be packed so that weight does not shift around inside the backpack.
