About Arbor Lakes Chiropractic
Facts about Carrying Backpacks and Backpack Injury
40
million teenagers carry a backpack to school each day. While carrying a backpack
to school every morning may seem harmless enough, it can cause painful back and
neck problems and injuries for students who don’t pack or carry their
backpacks properly. It can also lead to long-term medical problems. In fact,
more and more doctors are seeing children for back pain and injuries.
It
is advised that individuals carry no more than 15% of their body weight on their
backs.
Medical
professionals advise that individuals carry no more than 10-15% of their body
weight on their backs.
Example:
A child weighing:
-
50 lbs. should carry no more than 7.5 lbs.
- 80 lbs. should carry no more than 12 lbs.
- 100 lbs. should carry no more than 15 lbs.
- 130 lbs. should carry no more than 19.5 lbs.
- 150 lbs. should carry no more than 22.5 lbs.
Many
children are carrying up to 40 lbs. and are hurting themselves.
The
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission reported backpack-related injuries send
almost 6,000 students each year to emergency rooms. (May, 2002)
Waist
belts may cause forced excessive distribution across a growing pelvis leading to
possible pelvic abnormalities. (Congress of
Chiropractic State Associations and Professor Mary Hickey Northeastern
University, 2002)
There
is legislation in process in Illinois, and legislation that has passed in
California and New Jersey to require school boards to manage school pack weight.
(May, 2002)
The
Wall Street Journal recognized that backpack injury was a great concern and that
COCSA had established National Backpack Safety month to promote backpack safety
and spinal health. (April, 2002)
Roller
backpacks may result in forward head and thoracic deviations just as severe as
children carrying excessively heavy backpacks. Though the load of the backpack
is no longer on the skeletal structure, dragging the backpack may result in
rotary forces on the spine through the involved arm. (Physical Therapy Products, March, 2002)
55%
of students carry more than the recommended guidelines of 10-15% of their body
weight. (Simmons University April, 2001)
66%
of school nurses reported seeing students with pain or injury attributed to
carrying backpacks. (AirPacks, 2000)
Over
50% of parents have expressed concern about backpack injuries to their children.
(AirPacks, 2000)
Up
to 60% of children will experience back pain by the time they reach 18. (University
of Michigan)
The
American Academy of Orthopedics stated that backpack injury is a significant
problem for children. (October 1999)
58%
have seen patients complaining of back or shoulder pain related to backpacks.
65% have recommended that a patient modify the use of a backpack to improve or
correct a back problem.
National
Public Radio reported that 65% of adolescents’ visits to doctors are for
backpack related injuries. (October, 1998)