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Leo M. Kenney,
DC, FACO
North Conway Chiropractic Center
3316 White Mountain Highway
P.O. Box 3
North Conway, NH
03860-0003
Ph1: 603-356-2471
Fax: 603-356-8759
drleokenney@gmail.com
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| Backpack Safety Education | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Dr. Kenney explaining backpack safety to school children |
Dr. Kenney explaining backpack safety to parents |
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Over the last decade there has been a substantial increase in the number of children under the age of 18 who are experiencing back pain and spinal dysfunction. Dr. Kenney has made the prevention of these injuries in children a major priority in his practice. He has joined forces with Backpack Safety Americaä to help educate the children of his community on the right and wrong ways to load, lift, and carry backpacks. Everyday thousands of
America's children are lugging their books to and from
school and between classes in their backpacks. These
backpacks often weigh as much as 20 to 40 If the average backpack weighs only 15
pounds, and the child is lifting it 10 times per day, over a
180 day school year, they will have lifted that pack 1800
times for a total weight Dr. Kenney has made a commitment to help educate not only the children of this problem, but also their parents. He has given presentations to both students and parents. This presentation includes an 8 minute video produced by Backpack Safety Americaä as well as the information presented by Dr. Kenney. He has donated posters to the local schools to reinforce the message to the children, and he is making arrangements to teach the physical education teachers postural exercises that can be incorporated into their PE classes Click here to learn more about back pain in children. Helpful Suggestions What to look for in a backpack How to wear the backpack How to load the backpack Alternatives to reduce backpack weight
What to look for in a backpack. |
Proper backpack safety begins with having the correct equipment. There are several things you should look for in a backpack. A good back pack : Is sturdy Has padded shoulder straps Has a waist strap Has side compression straps Has a chest strap The backpack should fit the user. This is particularly important with smaller children. An overly large backpack will result in the weight being carried too low on the carrier's back putting harmful stress and strain on the spine. The backpack should be made of a sturdy material. Not only does this prolong the life of the backpack, it also helps to hold the load close to the spine. It should have a padded waist strap to help stabilize the weight and prevent it from swinging side to side as the child walks. The waist strap also helps to take the load off the shoulders and distributes more of the load on to the pelvis which is better suited to support the load. The backpack should have side compression straps to pull the load closer to the spine. This will again reduce the load on the lower back. A chest strap also helps to hold the entire load closer to the spine and keeps the pack from swaying. Back to Top
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 Proper Backpack Position
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Backpack worn too low
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 Pack should not be worn on one shoulder How to wear the backpack The backpack should be worn high on the back not low and hanging below the waist line. When the weight is too low there is more compressive load placed on the low back and forces the spine to curve in too much. This is particularly dangerous for children with "sway back" or "hyperlordosis." This is often seen in overweight children. The backpack should be carried evenly on both shoulders and not slung over one shoulder. If it is carried on only one shoulder then the strain is on one side of the spine. This, in turn, causes the compression of one side of the spine and a strain on the muscles and soft tissues on the opposite side. This can lead to over-development of muscles on one side of the spine and cause the spine to curve to the side - similar to what is seen in scoliosis. Shoulder bags which are meant to be carried on one side are particularly bad because all the weight is pulling to one side of the body. Back to Top How to load the backpack |
The backpack should be loaded so that the heaviest items are located close to the spine and near the bottom of the backpack. Smaller, lighter items can be loaded on top of the heavier ones. The side compression straps, if available should be used to pull the load closer to the spine. This brings the weight closer to your center of gravity and stabilizes the load. The maximum weight of the backpack should
not exceed 15% of the child's weight. Use the following
chart to help you determine the maximum recommended weight
of your child's backpack. |
Back to Top Alternatives to
reduce backpack weight |
Only those items really necessary should be carried in the backpack. Unnecessary items such as computer games, roller blades, or other items that are really not needed should not be carried. Once at school, leave as much as you can in the school locker. Carrying more than you need only stresses your spine unnecessarily. Ask if there are additional books available. If the school has extra books, leave one at home and borrow one to use in class or during study hall and leave that book at school at the end of the day. Parents should encourage the school to buy enough extra books for students to have a copy available for use in the class room and library/study hall, as well as one to bring home. Parents should encourage the schools to purchase their books in multiple volumes when it is possible. Then the side of the books that the children have to carry will be smaller and lighter. Back to Top | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
