Make sure your children’s packs don’t hurt their backs
By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant
Chronic low back pain is prevalent among youth, with 13% of adolescent boys and 26% of girls reporting this issue, according to the research cited by the National Spine Institute.
Most children and teens carry backpacks to school and doing so can have negative consequences on back health. Plan to protect your children’s backs by selecting the right bag.
“When buying a backpack for a child, the most important considerations are that it has two padded straps and is the appropriate size,” said Amy Pete, doctor of physical therapy, pediatric clinical specialist and clinical associate professor in the Department of Physical Therapy at Nazareth University. “Research has shown that wearing backpacks that are more than 10% of a person’s body weight can alter their posture and walking pattern, making them more likely to experience pain in their neck, shoulders and back.
“For example, a 60-pound child should carry a backpack that weighs no more than six pounds.”
It’s especially easy for younger children to overestimate how much weight they’re capable of carrying and to overfill a pack that’s too big.
“Therefore, when buying a backpack for a smaller child, it is best to purchase a smaller backpack to prevent excessive loads from the weight of the backpack and also to limit the space for heavy items that can be placed inside,” Pete added.
It’s also important to purchase the right type of backpack, according to Carole Drake, a physical therapist and director of Thompson Health Rehabilitation Services. Skip drawstring bags and look for a backpack with “chest, waist, or hip belts for support, multiple compartments to evenly distribute weight, thick, padded shoulder straps for comfort and wheels and a handle, if allowed, for easy rolling.”
How kids carry their backpacks also matters. Wearing just one shoulder strap makes it handier to access the bag, but incorrectly wearing a backpack “can lead to neck, back and shoulder pain especially for kids,” Drake said. “Always use both shoulder straps. Adjust so the top of the pack sits at the base of your neck. The backpack should rest centrally on the middle and lower back. Keep straps snug to reduce strain.”
Help keep packs light by helping your children go through their bags occasionally to remove items no longer needed.
Bryan Guzski, doctor of physical therapy and strength and conditioning specialist at Motive Physical Therapy in East Rochester, said that packs with a chest or waist strap can help keep kids safe.
“Multiple compartments can help distribute weight more evenly,” Guzski said. “Single-strap or cross-body bags can strain one side of the body if used for long periods of time. Using both shoulder straps at the same time is optimal, but occasionally switching between sides is okay if done frequently and loads of the bag are not too heavy. When using both straps, the backpack should sit evenly in the middle of the back–about two inches above the waistline.”
He also wants kids to wear their backpacks close to their bodies.
“Encourage regular stretching and movement throughout the day, especially if they have to carry heavy loads,” Guzski said. “Like adults, children’s bodies crave variety and variability of movement and physical stresses. If a child does develop backpack-related pain, this is usually short-term and not serious, but chronic misuse may contribute to poor movement habits and greater tissue stress than is optimal.”
Cesar Nava, manager of athletic trainers and the school of physical therapy at Rochester Regional Health, also recommended using lockers to prevent overly heavy backpacks. Swapping out their books between classes can help reduce the amount of time they carry a full load.
Nava added that other contributors to children’s back pain can include slouching or leaning over the desk in class.
“Create personal cues to prevent poor sitting posture in the classroom,” Nava said.
Keep an eye on posture while reading, gaming, scrolling and texting at home. By making proper posture a habit at home; students will more likely sit up better at school. Taking periodic breaks to stretch and walk can help alleviate back and the neck pain known as “text neck.”