. . . . . "BACK" To School: School Back Pack Safety Tips . . . . . .
Did you know that:
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More than 40 million students carry school backpacks. |
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Studies have found that over half of children who use backpacks regularly carry more than the recommended safe weight in their school backpacks. |
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The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission estimated that more than 3,300 children, aged 5-14 years, were treated in emergency rooms for injuries related to backpacks in 1998 |
If after lugging around a heavy school back pack all day your child complains of aching shoulders, weakened muscles, tingling arms or has a stooped posture, the cause may be the school backpack. Carrying too much weight in a backpack, or wearing a backpack incorrectly, can cause long-term back problems in all children , but children with neurological problems may be at a greater risk due to weakness and balance problems. Parents should take steps to ensure that their children wear backpacks correctly. The three most important factors to consider when using a school backpack are selecting, loading, and wearing a backpack.
Selecting a backpack
-Choose a pack that
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Is appropriate to size and age |
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Has well-padded shoulder straps. |
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Includes a waistbelt to be fastened for extra support and to help transfer the weight from the shoulders to the body's trunk and hips |
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Has reflective trim to increase visibility when carrying the backpack in the evening |
-When shopping for a backpack, take along books and other materials that the child would carry to judge how each pack varies when fully loaded
Loading a backpack
-Never allow a child to carry more than 15% of his or her body weight. For example, a child who weighs 100 lbs should not carry a backpack weighing more than 15 pounds.
-Load heaviest items closest to the child's back.
-Pack all items neatly to keep books and materials from sliding around in the pack
-If a backpack is too heavy, consider using one on wheels.
Wearing a backpack
-Always use both shoulder straps to distribute weight evenly.
-Adjust the shoulder straps so that the pack fits snugly to the child's back.
-A pack that hangs loosely from the back can pull the child backwards. This can affect balance and strain the muscles between the shoulders
References:
-American Occupational Therapy Association www.aota.org
-L.L. Bean, Inc., Freeport, ME 800-809-7057
For more information contact:
The Occupational Therapy Division
Jamaica Hospital Medical Center
pgentile@jhmc.org
