Introduction:

Backpacks, often overlooked, play a pivotal role in childhood back health. This article sheds light on their impact and offers vital prevention tips.

Key Takeaways:

  • Backpacks are a major cause of childhood back injuries, as seen in Orange County chiropractic care for kids.
  • Children should not carry more than 10% of their body weight in their backpacks to avoid injury.
  • Features like two straps, padding, waist straps, and multiple pockets can help prevent back pain and injuries.
  • Proper fit and capacity are crucial when choosing a backpack for your child.

What are the common causes of childhood back injuries?

Backpacks are frequently cited by injury prevention experts and chiropractors as a leading cause. Ensuring they are properly fitted, not overly heavy, and equipped with supportive features can significantly reduce the risk of back pain and injuries in children.

Ask any expert on injuries prevention in Orange County, “What are the most common causes of childhood back injuries?” and I’ll wager that backpacks are mentioned in the answer. Similarly, specialists who provide Orange County chiropractic care for kids probably see more patients with injuries or chronic pain caused by poorly fitted backpacks than with any other condition.

As you prepare to see your offspring heading back to school for the new term, spare a thought for their spinal health and make sure they have backpacks which fit them properly, are the right size for their body weight and have features to help prevent them suffering childhood back injuries or pain. Later, I’ll share some tips for backpack related injuries prevention in Orange County schoolchildren, but first let’s take a brief look at some numbers.

First – Some Statistics about Childhood Back Injuries and Pain

Just to illustrate how serious a problem backpack related childhood back injuries have become, here are some results from a 2011 study on the incidence of back pain in children. Of the children who took part in the study:

  • 48% of 15-year-old children suffered with back pain
  • Of the children aged 13, back pain was experienced by 28%
  • 33% of children aged nine were suffering with some degree of back pain

Meanwhile, a 2012 study into backpack related injuries requiring medical treatment highlighted the fact that 40% of the patients were children aged between five and eighteen. In fact, the majority of patients receiving Orange County chiropractic care for kids as a result of backpack related issues are the older students. This correlates with the amount of study material, sports kit, laptops and other items teenagers are hauling to and from school every day.

For smart kids and parents, there are some ways and means to reduce the weight that your kids are carrying in their school backpacks, but it’s also important to choose the right type, size and capacity backpack for your child.

Buying Backpacks of the Right Capacity

One of the contributing factors in childhood back injuries and accidents caused by backpacks is the weight being carried. Therefore, when buying a new backpack for your child, it makes sense to choose one that has a capacity limited to the weight your child can safely carry. As a rough guide, carrying more than 10% of your child’s own bodyweight puts him or her at risk of childhood back injuries. Exceeding this ratio also places your son or daughter at greater risk of injury from a fall while wearing the pack. Younger kids especially, tend to fall over a lot during play and if this happens while wearing a heavy pack, the risk of injury to ribs and limbs for example, is heightened.

Try to choose a backpack which has a capacity less than 10% of your child’s body weight. This may mean you have to replace the backpack more often, but the cost is an investment in your child’s safety. It may also mean your child stuffs the backpack to capacity, straining the seams and zips, but such is the tradeoff when protecting your kids from injury. Better to have a broken bag than a broken child.

At least by restricting the capacity of your child’s backpack, you create a natural limit to the weight being carried for one to two hours of every day on his or her back. It’s also safe for your child to carry one or two school books by hand to avoid overstuffing the backpack. Carrying some books in the arms helps to balance the total weight being carried – A little weight at the front to offset the heavier weight behind.

More Backpack Buying Tips

As well as focusing on capacity, other backpack features will also make a difference to your kids’ chances of incurring childhood back injuries. For example:

  • Always choose backpacks with two straps. Single straps lead to unbalanced weight distribution and put excessive strain on one shoulder.
  • Try to find a backpack with thickly padded, wide shoulder straps.
  • More straps are better – For older students carrying heavier loads, a waist strap helps to distribute the weight and stabilize the pack.
  • More pockets are better too. Choose a backpack with lots of pockets. This helps to distribute weight while making it easier for your child to access items in the pack.

Selecting the right size of backpack is just as important as the choice in capacity. When worn, the bottom of a correctly sized backpack will sit just above your child’s hips, while the top will be placed just under the highest part of the shoulder blades.

Orange County Chiropractic Care for Kids

Chiropractors who treat children would much rather do so as part of a preventative wellness program than as the result of injury or chronic pain. If you follow the tips provided in this guide, you can reduce the risk of corrective treatment being required for childhood back injuries. Remember though, that it’s never too early in life to benefit from regular chiropractic care. Maintaining perfect spinal alignment through proactive treatment goes a long way towards childhood injuries prevention in oc wellness.

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