School Book Bags Aggravate A Young Spine For many students, „hitting the books¾ 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. BACKPACKS¼ 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 tree¾ 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 backpack¼s 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 child¼s health for a lifetime,¾ said Dr. Arnsdorff. Do this „heavy¾ math: 12 pounds in an average child¼s 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. GETTING OUT OF LINE Hauling a heavy backpack over one shoulder every day 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 movementãa 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 „pillows¾ between spinal bones. According to the report, backpacks alter the fluid content of these discsãa risk factor for disc herniation („slipped¾ disc) and osteoarthritis. BACKPACKS ARE NOT JUST CAUSING PROBLEMS IN THE UNITED STATES The amount of weight carried by children in their backpacks is an important issue that deserves serious consideration. To quantify how much weight children are likely to carry in their backpacks, researchers in Milan, Italy, determined the weight of all the backpacks used by sixth graders at several schools. The average load carried daily 20.5 pounds, reaching as much as 27.5 pounds, with the maximum daily load averaging 25.3 pounds. Over one-third of students carried more than 30% of their body weight at least once during the week. BACKPACKS MAY SPAWN FALLS Research presented at the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation¼s 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. 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 child¼s 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 pack¼s 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: Face the backpack before you lift it. Bend at the knees. Using both hands, check the weight of the pack. Lift with your legs, not your back. Carefully put one shoulder strap on at a time. Never sling the pack onto one shoulder. 6. Use both shoulder straps. Make them snug but not too tight. 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. What Can You Do? First bring your child in to have their spine checked .. their exam is free. If you live too far from our office I will find a Chiropractor closer to your home that will check your child for free.