As we start yet another school year, I’m reminded of a growing concern that is circulating throughout  our health care community.  The concern I’m speaking of is that we are simply putting too much weight on our children’s shoulders.  The “weight “ I’m referring to is physical, and it comes from the overstuffed backpacks that our children lug to and from school everyday.  Your children are becoming virtual pack mules, if you will,  placing undue stress on their developing spines and thus giving birth to a whole host of future, and sometimes immediate, spinal and muscle related problems, including the obvious — back pain.

It is estimated that our children will improperly lift and carry 22,000 pounds of weight in their backpacks by the time they graduate high school.  They say that in the past ten years, the average weight of the typical teen’s backpack h as tripled, and  last year alone, emergency rooms across the nation saw over  3,300 backpack related injuries.  One only has to wonder just how many children with backpack related injuries didn’t go to the emergency room!  With the recent elimination of student lockers in some schools for security, space,  and/or drug-related reasons, combined with the trend of manufacturing larger backpacks by the school supply industry, not to mention that bag weights typically increase with greater homework demands as one progresses through the school system, this problem only seems to be getting worse — making some experts claim that improper backpack usage is reaching epidemic proportions among school-aged children everywhere.

Accouding to the American Chiropractic Association (ACA):  they recommend that a child’s backpack weigh no more than 5-10% of their body weight.   A Backpack that is any heavier will cause your child to begin bending forward in to support the weight of the bag on their backs rather than on their shoulders through the straps.

Tips on reducing back pain from backpacks
Make sure that the load you are carrying does not exceed more than 10% of your total body weight. The backpack should not hang more than 4 inches below the waistline. When packing a backpack make sure pointed or bulky objects are packed away from the area that will rest on your child’s back.  An uneven surface rubbing against the back could cause painful blisters.  It is also very important that both shoulder straps be worn to balance the load on the spine and should ideally contain padding to increase comfort and prevent digging into your child’s shoulders.  The shoulder straps should be of the adjustable variety, so the backpack can be fitted to your child’s body.  Shoulder straps that are too loose can cause the backpack to dangle uncomfortably and cause spinal misalignment and pain.

Chiropractic Care Can Help...

If your child is experiencing any pain or discomfort in the shoulders, arms, legs, or back, a visit to our studio would also be a worthy investment.  Studies are showing that 25-33% of our nation’s adolescents are experiencing “standard adult low back pain.”  Do not take your child’s complaints of pain or discomfort lightly, because one thing is for sure, pain at this age is definitely  not normal and is a clear sign that an underlying problem exists.  Even if the pain eventually “goes away on its own,” you can be sure that the problem hasn’t — and will likely affect your child’s health in one way or another.   If your child is “lucky” and these sorts of symptoms haven’t surfaced yet, but you’re concerned because he or she has been exposed to backpack stresses, a spinal checkup makes sense.  Both Dr. Nguyen and I can often find little problems that will likely amplify into larger ones later in life if neglected.  We are licensed Doctors of chiropractic are and trained to diagnose and treat patients of all ages and will use a gentler type of treatment for children.  In addition, we can also prescribe exercises designed to help children develop strong muscles, along with instruction in good nutrition, posture, and sleeping.

It’s unbelievable, but the statistics are that 80% of our adult population is bound to experience back pain at some point in their lives, and 50% will experience back pain this year alone.  Low back pain is the most common health problem experienced by working Americans today, and it is a condition that costs our nation’s economy at least $50 billion a year in lost wages and productivity.   Unfortunately, much of this suffering in our adult population can be traced back to bad habits initiated during our younger years — such as carrying overweight backpacks to school.  It’s time we do something about it.

The following websites/brands carry backpacks that have been researched to be better designed in caring for the spine.

http://www.justairbackpacks.com/

http://www.e-packs.com/

RAKgear backpack

Also checkout  http://www.backpacksafe.com/

Upcoming Event: Backpack Safety Week

Shànt Wellness will offer free backpack screenings from September 27th through October 1st from                    3:00p.m. to 6:00p.m.  Dr. Limbachia and Dr. Nguyen will help parents and children discover problems backpacks can cause, backpack safety tips, postural anomalies and complications, proper backpack usage and techniques, diagnostic testing and more.  For more information and to schedule a screening time, call 407-880-1218.

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 Health Tips

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Warm Regards,

Dr. Pari Limbachia, D.C.

407.880.1218 / www.shantwellness.com