Children & Back Pain
t is time for back to school and one of the items on you
r shopping list is probably a backpack. So maybe some of you are already wondering about how to properly wear a backpack.
Backpacks come in many different sizes, colors and fabrics and choosing one needs to be based on more then just a fashion statement. Backpacks need to be functional and need to fit properly. Compared with other toting options like messenger bags, shoulder bags or purses backpacks defiantly the best option. When worn right , the weight in a backpack is evenly distribute across the body to the larger muscles that can handle the weight.
How to Properly wear a Backpack
The first thing to remember doesn’t have to do with the actual fit of the backpack. However an important factor is how much weight is in the backpack! Some kids have backaches because they’re lugging around too much weight in their backpacks. Kids should carry no more than 10% to 15% of their body weight in their packs. That means if your child weighs 80 pound they should have about 10 pounds in their backpack. If you have a luggage scale that works best for weighing a backpack, or get your child to step on your regular scale without their backpack and then with it in and measure the difference.
To know how heavy backpacks can affect a kid’s body, it helps to understand how the back works. The spine is made of 33 bones called vertebrae, and between the vertebrae are discs that act as natural shock absorbers.
When a heavy weight, such as a backpack filled with books, is incorrectly placed on the shoulders, the weight’s force can pull a child backward. To compensate, a child may bend forward at the hips or arch the back, which can cause the spine to compress unnaturally. The heavy weight might cause some kids to develop shoulder, neck, and back pain.
How to pick a Backpack
Here is a few tips about what to look for when purchasing a backpack
- Thick padded straps – narrow straps can dig into the shoulders and interfere with circulation and nerve function. This can cause tingling and numbness or weakness in the arms and hands
- Light weight – when the backpack is empty it should be made of light weight materials so you can pack more into it
- A padded back – for increased comfort
- A waist belt – to help distribute the weight
- Multiple compartments – again to help distribute the weight in the backpack: heavy school items should be placed at the back of the backpack so it is close to your child’s center of gravity and is easier to carry.
How to properly fit a backpack
1. Measure your child’s spine. Find the maximum height the backpack should be by measuring from the shoulder line to the waist line and add two inches. The shoulder line is where the backpack straps will actually rest on the body. The waist line is at the belly button. The backpack should fit two inches below the shoulders and up to four inches below the waist. Backpacks will generally state there height on the tag and should come in a number of lengths. Sometimes backpacks come in a “one size fits all’, those backpacks are usually between 16-17inches long (good for about a 13year old) but you can measure before you buy! Adult sized backpacks will generally be 19-20 inches long so make sure your child is in a children’s backpack.
2. Loosen all the staps and start by tightening the hip belt, they should be centered over the hip bones
3. Tighten the shoulder staps until the backpack is lifted above the hip belt. The backpack’s weigh should be distributed more to the hips then the shoulders so don’t tighten the straps to tight and lift the backpack to high. Your shoulder straps should completely wrap around your shoulders, with no gap between your shoulder blades and the shoulder harness.
In the right side image you can see that the “wrong” picture the back pack is sitting to low (partly because it is too heavy) and the “correct image” has the shoulder straps tightened so the back pack is sitting in the right spot, at hip level.
In the bottom image with the pink backpack you can see where the hip belt should sit.
If you have any questions or would like to book an appointment please contact Dr. Jen at 289-926-0026