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BACKPACK SAFETY |
Mounting research reveals alarming danger associated with
improper backpack use.
For many students, hitting the books leads to academic achievement. Students who carry those books in overloaded backpacks may be unknowingly participating in the beginning of a health epidemic. Scientific research reveals an alarming danger associated with improper childhood backpack use. This research stems from the increasing number of reports of childhood back pain in recent decades. By the end of their teen years, close to 60 percent of youths experience at least one low-back pain episode. And new research indicates that this may be due, at least in part, to the improper use of backpacks on young spines.
Back pain leads to more than 19 million doctor visits per year, according to the U.S. Department of Human Health and Services, What will that figure be when the members of the Backpack Generation are in their thirties and forties?
BACKPACKS ATTACK
ON BACKS
Watch children in any schoolyard
struggle to walk while bent sideways under the weight of an overloaded backpack
on one shoulder. You will quickly realize the potential danger of this
commonplace item. How exactly does carrying a backpack affect the spine?
Common sense tells us that a load, distributed improperly or unevenly, day
after day, indeed causes stress to a growing spinal column. The old adage As the twig bends, so grows the tree
comes to mind. There is a growing concern about the improper use of backpacks
and the relatively scarce amount of instructional and preventative information available
to young people. It is not the backpacks fault that kids have not been
given the guidelines.
CHECK
THE NUMBERS
The Consumer
Product Safety Commission estimates that 7,277 emergency room visits each year
result from injuries related to book bags. The CPSC also reports that
backpack-related injuries are up 330% since 1996. That is the beginning of an
epidemic, one that will cause serious damage to a childs health for a
lifetime
Do this
heavy math: 12 pounds in an average childs backpack times 10
lifts per day equals 120 pounds lifted per day. This 120 pounds per day times
180 days per school year equals 21,600 pounds lifted in one school year. That
is nearly 11 tons, or the equivalent of six full size automobiles!
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GETTING
OUT OF LINE
Hauling a heavy backpack over
one shoulder everyday may cause serious postural misalignments. These postural
imbalances often trigger a condition called vertebral subluxation. Vertebral
subluxations are dysfunctional areas in the spine where movement is restricted
or bones (vertebrae) are out of alignment. This disorder predisposes patients
to a number of ailments, such as neck and back pain, headaches, and
osteoarthritis.
In addition, a recent scientific experiment found that carrying a backpack alters the mobility of spinal bones and can lead to restricted movementa risk factor for pain. Yet another study used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to examine the effect of backpacks on the intervertebral disc of the spine, the fluid-filled pillows between spinal bones.
BACKPACKS
MAY SPAWN FALLS
Research presented at the
American Academy of physical Medicine and Rehabilitations annual meeting
in San Francisco exposes yet another potential danger of heavy backpacks: they
promote falls in students who wear them.
Specifically, students who carried packs weighing 25% of their body weight exhibited balance problems while performing normal activities such as climbing stairs or opening doors, which in turn increases their risk of falls. In contrast, students who carried packs weighing 15% of their body weight maintained their balance moderately well. Those carrying 5% of their body weight were most effective at maintaining balance, compared with their peers who carried more weight.
ROLLER
BAGS ARE NOT CURE-ALLS
An empty roller bag can weigh up
to 80% more than an empty backpack. Factor in that there is a tendency to add
more things to a roller bag, it can end up weighing 50 pounds or more. At some
point during the day, a child needs to lift that bag, and proper guidelines
still should be followed.
These disturbing trends
clearly show the importance of a comprehensive educational program designed to
give students, parents, and teachers guidelines necessary to prevent future
spinal conditions due to improperly worn backpacks.
BELOW ARE TWO EXAMPLES OF HOW NOT TO WEAR
YOUR BACKPACK.
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WRONG!
This backpack is overloaded, creating stress on the spine.
Improper backpack use can lead to a lifetime of health problems. |
WRONG!
Wearing a backpack improperly over one shoulder can cause
permanent misalignment of the spine, muscle fatique, and a lowered state of
health. |
BACKPACK SAFETY TIPS
1) Make sure the backpack is sturdy and appropriately sized. Some manufacturers offer special child-sized versions for children ages 5-10. These packs weigh less than a pound and have shorter back lengths and widths so they do not slip around on the back.
2) Consider more than looks when choosing a backpack. An ill-fitting pack can cause back pain, muscle strain, or nerve impingement. You want to have padded shoulder straps to avoid pressure on the nerves around the armpits. Some backpacks have waist straps designed to stabilize the load. These should be used whenever possible.
3) The proper maximum weight for loaded backpacks should not exceed 15% of the childs body weight. For example, an 80-pound child should not carry more than 12 pounds in a pack. If the pack forces the carrier to bend forward, it is overloaded.
4) In loading, it is obvious that excessive backpack weight can cause problems. Prioritizing the packs content is very important. Avoid loading unnecessary items. It is important to balance the weight of the contents or the body shifts into unnatural postures to compensate.
5) Often ignored is the act of lifting and positioning the pack. Lifting 20 pounds improperly can cause damage. Follow these simple steps:
6) Use both shoulder straps. Make them snug but not too
tight.
7) Carrying the backpack on
one shoulder, while fashionable, can cause long-term neck, shoulder, back, and
postural problems. Use the stabilizing waist strap around the waist.