Dear Melissa,
My son is entering the 5th
grade this year. It seems like he is
cramming more and more stuff into his backpack every year. Do you have any
recommendations to keep his young back safe?
You have the notebooks and
pencils, but how do you know if that backpack from last year is the best fit
for your child again this year? Yes,
children seem to LOVE to pick out the coolest trends in backpacks every year,
whether it has Elsa & Anna from “Frozen” or is the latest style in a
hiking backpack. But, are these the safest options? According to the American Occupational Therapy Association, heavy loads carried by more than 79
million students across the U.S. can cause lower back pain that often lasts
through adulthood. In addition, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety
Commission, in 2010 nearly 28,000 strains, sprains, dislocations, and fractures
from backpacks were treated in hospital emergency rooms and physicians’ offices.
As an expert on school ergonomics and healthy growth and development of school-age children, Karen Jacobs, EdD, OTR/L, CPE, clinical professor of occupational therapy at Boston University says,“A child wearing a backpack incorrectly or that is too
heavy can be contributing risk factors for discomfort, fatigue, muscle
soreness, and musculoskeletal pain especially in the lower back.” Because of the concern, the American Occupational Therapy Association has established a “National School Backpack Awareness Day”. This year it is on September 16, 2015.
I have summarized the recommendations by the
American Occupational Therapy Association below:
The height of the backpack should extend from approximately 2 inches below the shoulder blades to waist level, or slightly above the waist.
Shoulders
Backpacks should have very well-padded shoulder straps that can be worn on BOTH shoulders for proper balance.
Hip belt
Backpacks with a hip or chest belt take some strain off sensitive neck and shoulder muscles and improve the student’s balance.
Fit
Just as your child will try on clothes and shoes when back-to-school shopping, it is important to try on backpacks, too. According to Karen Jacobs, “The right fit should be your top criteria when selecting your child’s backpack. If you order online, be sure that the seller has a return policy just in case the backpack is not quite the best fit for your child and needs to be exchanged.”
Total Weight
Check that the child’s backpack weighs no more than 10% of his or her body weight. This means that a child that weighs 80 pounds should have a backpack that weighs no more than 8 pounds. Get out your bathroom scale and check it out! If it weighs more, determine what supplies can stay at home or at school each day to lessen the load. If the backpack is still too heavy for the child, consider a book bag on wheels.
Weight Distribution
Use different compartments appropriately to distribute the weight by placing the heavier items closest to the body and lighter items in the smaller, external pockets.
Watch for Stress
Watch your child. Ultimately each child is different, and his body will react differently to repetitive and prolonged backpack use. Warning signs that the backpack is too heavy include:
Shoulders
Backpacks should have very well-padded shoulder straps that can be worn on BOTH shoulders for proper balance.
Hip belt
Backpacks with a hip or chest belt take some strain off sensitive neck and shoulder muscles and improve the student’s balance.
Fit
Just as your child will try on clothes and shoes when back-to-school shopping, it is important to try on backpacks, too. According to Karen Jacobs, “The right fit should be your top criteria when selecting your child’s backpack. If you order online, be sure that the seller has a return policy just in case the backpack is not quite the best fit for your child and needs to be exchanged.”
Total Weight
Check that the child’s backpack weighs no more than 10% of his or her body weight. This means that a child that weighs 80 pounds should have a backpack that weighs no more than 8 pounds. Get out your bathroom scale and check it out! If it weighs more, determine what supplies can stay at home or at school each day to lessen the load. If the backpack is still too heavy for the child, consider a book bag on wheels.
Weight Distribution
Use different compartments appropriately to distribute the weight by placing the heavier items closest to the body and lighter items in the smaller, external pockets.
Watch for Stress
Watch your child. Ultimately each child is different, and his body will react differently to repetitive and prolonged backpack use. Warning signs that the backpack is too heavy include:
1. Difficulty putting
on/taking off backpack
2. Complaints of pain or
tingling
3. Red strap marks over
the tops of the shoulders
4. Changes in side-to-side posture while wearing the backpack.
Check out the websites below for loads of tips on how to help keep all backpack-wearers in your household as safe as possible.
Backpack Shopping 101: Tips to Avoid a Pain in the Neck, American Occupational Therapy Association (Accessed August 2015)
1, 2,3’s of Basic Backpack Wearing, American Occupational Therapy Association, Accessed August 2015
Backpack Strategies for Parents & Students, American Occupational Therapy Association (Accessed August 2015)
