Books, lunch, laptop, and more — all go into a school backpack and before you know it, the backpack is heavy, often way too heavy.
Kids are getting back strains from toting their books and materials to school. According to the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), a whopping 64 percent of American students ages 11 to 15 years reported back pain related to heavy backpacks. Twenty-one percent reported the pain lasting more than six months. Emergency rooms treat more than 2,000 injuries related to heavy backpacks every year.
It's not limited to young students, either. A Boston University study showed that 85 percent of university students report discomfort and pain associated with backpacks.
Backpacks can cause pain when they are too heavy, too big, or worn improperly.
Consumer Reports found that in New York City schools, the average sixth grade student carried a backpack weighing from 18.4 pounds to 30 pounds; second and fourth grade students carried backpacks that weighed as much as five pounds.
Backpacks should weigh no more than 10 percent of a student's body weight, but more than half of students carry backpacks that are heavier, according to AOTA.
The way students use a backpack can be a problem. Slinging the pack over one shoulder may look cool, but it causes pain in the back and shoulders. Students should use a backpack with padded straps and wear both straps around the shoulders to distribute weight properly.
Parents can make sure the backpack is the right size. The pack should extend 2 inches below the shoulder blades to waist level or slightly above. It should not be wider or longer than a child's torso. Multiple compartments can also help distribute weight.
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