March 9th, 2011 - Backpacks & Back Pain

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Sometimes I think backpacks are one of the biggest mistakes we could have made with respect to children today.  Children, like adults, are prone to fill space.  A large backpack doesn't simply make it easier to move things in and out or provide room for extra pockets and fancy bits.  A large space screams to be filled and then carried (by a sherpa-like 4th grader) from class to class.  Students eschew the use of lockers, preferring to carry all of their worldly possessions throughout the day.  Just ask my son, who must have a 64oz water bottle and a full size stapler with him at all times (for some unexplained reason.)

And, though backpack technology (did I just write that) has come a long way to meet the recommendations of chiropractors and orthopedists, students still labor under packs that weigh as much, or sometimes more than a classroom desk. This is not always an exaggeration -

So what does this do to the spine?  See the study data below taken from -

http://www.webmd.com/back-pain/news/20040813/heavy-backpacks-can-hurt-student-backs

Heavy Backpacks Can Hurt Students' Backs

Lighten the Load to Avoid Pain, Say Experts

WebMD Health News

Aug. 13, 2004 - With back-to-school season here, parents and students should make sure heavy backpacks aren't too much of a burden.

Shouldering a hefty load can cause back pain, according to a study by researchers at the University of California in Riverside.

The study was led by David Siambanes, DO, of the Inland Empire Spine Center in Riverside, Calif. Participants were 3,500 students aged 11 to 15 at four middle schools in Riverside and San Bernardino counties.

Researchers weighed the children's backpacks and asked the kids how often they used their backpacks and how much pain, if any, they felt as a result.

Most students said they hurt, at least a bit, from their backpacks; 64% reported having back pain at some time. Two of every five children said they felt pain while wearing their backpacks. In students reporting pain, about 12% said it was "not bad," while almost 90% said their back pain was "bad" or "very bad."

Of those reporting back pain, 21% said their pain lasted more than six months. About 16% said they had missed school, gym class, or after-school sports because of the pain, and almost 17% said they had seen a doctor for their back pain. Most students with back pain said the pain was recurrent.

Your child’s backpack can hurt his or her spine, resulting in reduced disc height and lumbar asymmetry says Timothy Neuschwander, MD of the Department of Orthopedic Surgery at the University of California, San Diego. Researchers found that heavy backpacks increased curvature and disc compression of the lower spine in what they say is the first study to utilize magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). “Children commonly carry school backpacks of 10 percent to 22 percent [of their] body weight,” wrote the researchers. Not surprisingly, children who carried heavier packs reported significantly greater back pain.
http://calorielab.com/labnotes/20100203/heavy-backpacks-hurt-kids-spines/

The image below shows some of the problems that can emerge during the long years of book 

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 The image above shows some of the damage that can be done to a misused spine over time.  A compressed disk and possibly a bulging disk can result from over burdening one's back but other problems may also result.  Abnormal spinal curvatures such as hyper-lordosis or scoliosis may develop or be exacerbated.  Muscular imbalances and postural habits may form especially when a pack is worn over one shoulder instead of both. 

Some tips for minimizing problems: 

http://www.webmd.com/back-pain/news/20040813/heavy-backpacks-can-hurt-student-backs

• Use rolling backpacks.
• Choose backpacks ending above the waist, with padded shoulder straps and a belt.
• Wear backpacks on both shoulders.
• Pull the shoulder straps snug.
• Place heavier books closest to the back.
• Bend your knees when lifting the backpack.
• Get a second set of schoolbooks to keep at home.
• Carry only what's necessary each day.

Additionally you can:

• Use online book access for home when possible. 
• Use a locker when offered to reduce the load
• perform strengthening and stretching exercises to reduce pain

 Fun Facts:  While the concept of the backpack has bee around for a very long time the modern version of the backpack is believed to have been designed/invented in 1920 by Lloyd F. Nelson.  See http://tragerusa.com/look_body.html for more information.