The bell is about to ring in the 2021-22 school year. That means students will be carrying their books, papers and assorted “gotta have” items in backpacks.
backpackToo often the backpacks are overloaded or worn incorrectly and that is going to cause everything from fatigue to back injuries that can last for years if not a lifetime.
Theresa Long, clinical director at Hillcrest Hospital Henryetta physical therapy, offers some tips on the proper way to wear backpacks and help reduce back pain and injury.
She said parents need to make sure backpacks are not the inexpensive, low-quality ones that so many students, especially the younger ones, want because they are trendy.
She urged parents to make sure the backpack straps are padded and preferably ones with a padded back. If possible, find a backpack with a waist strap. That will hold the the contents closer to your child’s back, which can help him or her maintain balance.
Multiple compartments will make it easier to evenly distribute the weight of the items inside. The heaviest items should be packed low and toward the center of the bag.
If a backpack has two shoulder straps, both straps should be worn over the shoulders. Those straps should be adjusted so the backpack is high on your back and not allow it to sway from side to side.
Inside the backpack, place the heaviest items closest to your body.
She went on to say the backpack should never weigh more than 10 percent of the child’s body weight. Prolonged use of a backpack heavier than this could cause compression issues in the low back.
Long said anyone who does experience a back-related injury, make an appointment with your primary care physician and if needed, ask about Hillcrest Henryetta physical therapy.