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Lifetime Health Offers Five Tips to Prevent Backpack-Induced Injury

NEWS RELEASE - October 5, 2007 

ROCHESTER, NY— More backpacks likely hit the paths taken from class to class than they do the trails to view Upstate New York’s fall foliage. As such a prominent feature in schools (kindergarten through graduate levels), it’s important to realize that these convenient carry-alls can cause some very inconvenient pain or even long-term damage.

This is particularly a problem for children who tend to want to load them with everything they could possibly need or want for the day, explains Erin Nielsen PT, CPI the department manager of Physical Therapy for Lifetime Health Medical Group. “If a child carries a backpack that is too heavy for him or her, or is worn incorrectly, it can cause a number of problems ranging from poor posture and muscle strains or sprains to functional scoliosis.”

She recommends that parents make sure their children adhere to the following five quick guidelines if they carry a backpack, but especially if the child complains of back or shoulder pain without an obvious sign of injury. “If your child still complains of persistent back pain even after following these tips, it would be a good idea to consult with your child's doctor,” she advises.

1. Load the backpack as it is on a usual day and weigh it. “It’s not uncommon to find that they’re 30 pounds or more. The recommendation is that the packs are no more than 15 percent of the wearer’s body weight.”

2. Make sure it’s worn properly with both straps over the shoulders rather than over one shoulder.

3. Look for packs with wide straps and even hip straps if possible. The thin straps can actually cut into the upper shoulder and lower neck, causing muscular numbness and compression. Wide straps help prevent this and the hip strap provides additional support.

4. Buy the lighter-weight canvas instead of heavier leather.

5. Get a rolling pack, if the school allows them (some do not). “If you cannot scale back what your child carries to stay within the 15 percent of body weight guideline, you should go with a rolling pack or you are risking injury. The good news is that the rolling packs are actually becoming cooler and more popular with children.”

For more information about physical therapy at Lifetime Health Medical Group, visit the Web site, www.lifetimehealth.org, or call 585/336-4886.

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