Now that school is in full swing for most children, they are more and more involved with using their backpacks, which carry most of their school-related stuff such as books and sheets of homework assignments. Young children are suffering from back pain much earlier than in previous generations, and the use of overweight backpacks is a contributing factor. Since backpacks have emerged as an escalating health and safety issue, the American Chiropractic Association (ACA) and doctors of chiropractic are trying to make parents aware of the dangers of backpacks. So what can you do? For one, make sure that your child’s backpack weighs no more than 10 percent of his/her body weight. This and other tips that the ACA offers, are discussed in Dr. Konicki’s article, “Heavy Backpacks Hurt Kids” (please click on the link).
Parents need to be more aware about issues that they can prevent, such as their children’s backpack use. With these tips, backpacks can truly be less of a burden for their young ones.
Friday, October 7, 2011 at 16:25
Thank you for the great advice about backpack safety. Parents, please remind your child of the importance of good posture and if your child has had a fall, plays contact sports, or complains about neck or back pain, please consult with a Chiropractor. It can make such a world of difference to your child’s health.