With all the excitement of back to school, it’s a great time to make sure your kids have proper fitting backpacks to prevent back injury.  In fact, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates that over 7,000 people are sent to the emergency room each year.  In an article published in The Spine Journal, 6% of 10 year old, and 10-15% of 12 year old kids complain of back pain.  One of the biggest culprits is the disproportionate amounts of weight they carry in their backpacks- often slung over a one shoulder.

Results of a study conducted in France show that the longer a child wears a backpack, the longer it takes for a curvature or deformity of the spine to correct itself.   What can you do to help prevent back issues?  The list below are some common tips to help make sure the backpack is properly fitting, and used correctly.

Backpack Safety Tips:

• Make sure the amount of weight in the backpack doesn’t exceed 10% of your kids body weight. Increased weight causes a child to bend forward to support the weight on his or her back and not their shoulders by the straps.
• Your child’s backpack should never hang more the four inches below the waist line. Backpacks that hang too low increase the weight on the shoulders, and cause your child to lean forward.
• Make sure your child’s back pack is proportional to their body, it should not be longer or wider than your child’s torso.
• Bigger is not better, the more room in a backpack the more your child will carry and the heavier it will be.
• Encourage your child to wear both shoulder straps. One strap caused disproportionate weight shifts to one side that stress the neck, upper and lower back.
• Wider, padded straps are important as they make the backpack more comfortable to wear, and allow the backpack to sit in the proper position.

Lastly, if your child experiences any pain and discomfort from backpack use, consider visiting your local Shakopee Chiropractor.  At Brooks Chiropractic, we will assess your child’s posture, and check to make sure of proper alignment.  If you’d like to set up a consult or have questions give us a call at (952)456-6611 or visit Brooks Chiropractic Website.