Children and Pain
Prevent Back to School Problems
According to the American Chiropractic Association (ACA), two recent studies show that heavy backpacks can lead to both back pain and poor posture in children. Parents need to be aware of how much weight their children are carrying and instruct their children on the proper use of backpacks, says the ACA.
Researchers studied 745 young adolescents and found that about 45% reported neck and/or shoulder and back pain complaints related to use of backpacks and the weights of the backpacks. The study, published in the May 1, 2003, issue of Spine, indicates that psychosomatic (emotional) factors appear to influence the child's level of pain.
Another study, presented at a May meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine, indicates that children hunch their bodies forward and lower their heads to accommodate the weight of heavy backpacks. Researchers studied children, ages eight and nine, as they walked about 1,310 feet (a typical walk to school) without a backpack and with backpacks weighing nine to 13 pounds. Spot checks of schoolchildren show that they carry packs of 20 to 25 pounds. Unlike adults, the children in the study did not shorten their stride to accommodate the weight. Instead, the children bent forward, which can lead to bad posture, and complained about lower back and shoulder pain.
The ACA suggests the following tips to prevent back in schoolchildren who carry backpacks:
Researchers studied 745 young adolescents and found that about 45% reported neck and/or shoulder and back pain complaints related to use of backpacks and the weights of the backpacks. The study, published in the May 1, 2003, issue of Spine, indicates that psychosomatic (emotional) factors appear to influence the child's level of pain.
Another study, presented at a May meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine, indicates that children hunch their bodies forward and lower their heads to accommodate the weight of heavy backpacks. Researchers studied children, ages eight and nine, as they walked about 1,310 feet (a typical walk to school) without a backpack and with backpacks weighing nine to 13 pounds. Spot checks of schoolchildren show that they carry packs of 20 to 25 pounds. Unlike adults, the children in the study did not shorten their stride to accommodate the weight. Instead, the children bent forward, which can lead to bad posture, and complained about lower back and shoulder pain.
The ACA suggests the following tips to prevent back in schoolchildren who carry backpacks:
- Backpacks should not weigh more than 10% of a child's bodyweight
- Backpacks should never hang more than four inches below the waistline
- Choose backpacks with individualized compartments to help position contents
- Choose backpacks appropriate to your child's size – the bigger the backpack, the more your child will try and carry
- Make sure your child wears both shoulder straps to distribute the weight of the pack evenly
- Choose backpacks with wide, padded straps
- Choose backpacks with adjustable shoulder straps so the pack can be fitted to your child's body