Staff Writer
School’s already started, and you’ve carefully checked off the many items on your school supply list. One thing you may have neglected is to consider the size, style, and weight of your children’s backpacks. Doctors of Chiropractic know that a too-heavy, wrong-sized backpack can lead to musculoskeletal damage or pain for your child. Prevention of a problem is a key component of chiropractic care.
Surveys show that children today carry everything from books, laptops, and school supplies to sports uniforms, shoes, and water bottles in their backpacks at any given time. One study examining the impact of backpacks on children found that more than 70% of children surveyed had a backpack that exceeded the recommended 10% of their body weight. Of these children, 32% complained of back pain.
Another study on backpack weight and schoolchildren’s posture showed that backpack weight affected head and spinal posture, with heavier backpacks causing children’s heads and spines to bend farther forward.
When you stop to think about it, the problem these things cause is obvious. Because your child is compensating for lifting too heavy a weight, this can lead to neck, shoulder, and back pain, poor posture, and improper biomechanics.
1. Obey the 10% rule
A great guide to backpack weight is to see if it’s 10% or less of your child’s weight.
2. Two straps are better than one
You might be tempted by those 1-strap backpacks, but this option leads to uneven weight distribution, resulting in twisting and tilting the body to keep the backpack up on the shoulder. Remedy this situation by going against the standard and using both straps!
3. Padded is a plus
Your chiropractor would prefer you buy a backpack with wide, generously padded straps. If the straps are too thin, they will dig into the shoulders, which is uncomfortable and may lead to shoulder pain.
4. Belted offers additional support
You’ll see some backpacks with belt straps for the waist, which help re-distribute the weight in the backpack beyond the two shoulder straps.
5. More pockets, more options
Buy a backpack that has a multitude of different pockets. This will also help to re-distribute the weight of the backpack.
6. Prioritize and minimize
Talk to your children about only carrying the items needed for that day or school session. If it’s convenient to leave items in a school locker, this can reduce not carrying books back and forth.
7. Better for Band Members
If your child is in a band or orchestra and has to cart an instrument back and forth, a trolley backpack with dual wheels may be a better option. Remember that trolley backpacks are challenging to manage in poor weather like rain and snow.
Choosing a backpack is a personal choice. These resources from a patient-focused American Chiropractic Association website may help:
If you think your child might be having a backpack-carrying issue, know that seeing your Doctor of Chiropractic can be a smart first choice for musculoskeletal-related concerns.
In fact, a chiropractor’s skilled manual assessment and correction can be a great way to help anyone suffering from tight muscles and pain from muscle strains and sprains. If an exam determines the issue is something that your Doctor of Chiropractic cannot treat, you’ll be referred to an appropriate medical practitioner.
Cleveland University-Kansas City (CUKC) is a private, nonprofit chiropractic and health sciences university in Overland Park, Kansas. Founded in 1922, CUKC has an ongoing mission to educate and develop leaders in chiropractic and other health science professions.
The CUKC on-campus Chiropractic Health Center is open to the public and treats patients from Kansas City’s 15-county metro area. The chiropractic interns and licensed doctors of chiropractic who supervise your care are leaders in the field. Our goal is to provide chiropractic care and solutions for a better, more productive life for our patients.
