Is your child’s school backpack affecting their posture?
Research has shown that poorly-fitted and overloaded school backpacks alter a child’s postural (cervical) angle. The child’s trunk is in a more forward position as it tries to find the centre of gravity between the feet, placing abnormal forces on the spine.
Over time these alterations may lead to back pain and injury by stressing ligaments or muscles in the back or by changing the forces applied to the intervertebral discs. As the individual fatigues and these changes become more pronounced, there is potential for the risk of injury to the child.
Backpack recommendations
Of course children require a daily backpack to carry necessary school items; however the research recommends the following items should be taken into consideration when choosing the right backpack for your child.
Choose an ergonomically designed backpack for carrying weight which has two wide padded shoulder straps, a strap positioned at the level waist and also at the chest.
It shouldn’t be too large compared to the child’s back.
It should be placed exactly 1-2 inches down from the shoulder and not reach beyond 4 inches of the waist line.
Backpacks should be kept under 10 % of the carrier’s body weight to reduce the immediate and chronic postural changes.
A study from 2001 found 12 to 14 year old New Zealand students, were carrying 13.2 % of their body weight in schoolbags. With an average 54.7 kg body weight for this group of children that equates to an average 7.2 kg backpack. That’s 1.75 kg heavier than recommendations. That was 19 years ago. Add an iPad (0.5 kg) or laptop (1.5 kg) and a 750ml stainless drink bottle full of water (1 kg) and you could easily add 2.5 kg to an already overweight backpack.
It may seem such a small item to focus on, however a child’s backpack is frequently worn throughout a school year and it’s important to remove the ability to place undue stress on a child’s developing spine.
Tips for lightening the backpack load
Routinely clear out unnecessary items. A few old newsletters and other odds and ends sitting in the bottom of a backpack can quickly add up to a surprising extra load.
Fill your water bottle when you get to school. If you don’t need to drink 750 ml of water on the way to school, there’s no need to lug that extra weight around.
Shifting some weight to the front of the body can help counteract the weight of a heavy backpack. A laptop bag could be carried by hand rather than in the backpack.
Please contact us if your child starts to complain of musculoskeletal pain. Our qualified and experienced chiropractors can assess any impact their backpacks may be causing and recommend safe, gentle and evidence-based treatment should it be required.
We hope this information helps you to assess if your child’s backpack is right for them this school year.
References
Shikha Kulshrestha and D Rajesh, 2017, Effect of Backpack Weight on Cervical Angle in School Going Children, International Journal of Clinical Skills, http://www.ijocs.org/clinical-journal/effect-of-backpack-weight-on-cervical-angle-in-school-going-children-12115.html
Whittfield, J. K., Legg, S. J., & Hedderley, D. I. (2001). The weight and use of schoolbags in New Zealand secondary schools. Ergonomics, 44(9), 819–824. DOI: 10.1080/00140130117881, https://sci-hub.tw/10.1080/00140130117881
Chow, D. H. K. , Ou, Z. Y. , Wang, X. G. and Lai, A.(2010) 'Short-term effects of backpack load placement on spine deformation and repositioning error in schoolchildren', Ergonomics, 53: 1, 56—64. DOI: 10.1080/00140130903389050, http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00140130903389050
