Book Bag Tips
It’s back to school time!
But heavy book bags can do some damage to your spinal health.
Let us show you how to prevent back pain.
It’s that time of year, so that means it’s time to brush up on the proper and improper ways to carry a book bag. Kids’ book bags are getting heavier by the year. More classes, more books, more extracurriculars, more weight being carried on the back!
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As you could imagine, a heavy book bag held in a less than ideal position at length can do some damage! It might not happen tomorrow, but if you are holding it for years it can injure the back from too much strain and compensation.
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So I’m here to make sure that does not happen to you or your kids! I’m going to share 3 common mistakes made by people wearing book bags followed by 3 solutions that are HUGE for preventing low back pain from wearing a book bag.
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Common mistake #1: Using only 1 strap because it’s quicker/more convenient/looks cooler. But this actually causes us to walk off balance, leading to unnecessary strain on the back from compensation.
Solution #1: Always wear BOTH straps. This spreads the load evenly across your shoulders. I understand when your hands are full and it’s inconvenient to put everything down to put on both straps. But take the time and just do it - it’ll save your back!! Additionally, if you have a chest or waist strap, use them!! Chest straps keep the shoulder straps in place and prevent the book bag from swaying. Waist straps help transfer some of the heavy load to the hips to ease the amount of weight that the shoulders bear.
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Common mistake #2: Loosening the adjustable straps ALL the way. So now your book bag is hanging way past your butt. This increases the pressure on your shoulders, and it tends to cause a forward lean that strains the low back.
Solution #2: Use the adjustable straps to place the book bag at the waist or just above. 1-2 inches above the waist is a good general rule. You will immediately feel less pressure on the back since the book bag is held closer to your body.
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Common mistake #3: Having too heavy of a book bag from all the books!
Solution #3: The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children should carry no more than 10% to 20% of their body weight in their backpack (1). That means that it should probably weigh 4 to 15 pounds at most (1). To put that in perspective, a 50 pound person should not have a book bag that weighs over 10 pounds. If truly no weight can be taken away to carry everything that is needed, a next recommendation would be to take some books out and carry them close to your chest. This serves as a counterweight from the heavy load on the back. A different option would be to try a rolling book bag.
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What about cross-body bags or shoulder bags/purses? As you could imagine, these still spread the load unevenly and cause leaning towards one side, straining the back. If you use these, I would highly recommend switching shoulders as OFTEN as possible. However, hopefully this post and video will make you reconsider your options if you have ever felt strain on your back or shoulders! When carrying weight with you, a bag that evenly distributes weight across both shoulders, is held close to your body, and isn’t TOO heavy, will be the best option to prevent back pain and/or pain going down the arm and into the hand!
https://www.hss.edu/pediatrics-backpack-safety-tips-kids.asp
