With the beginning of another school year comes the all important decision of which backpack to buy. I found this out a few weeks ago when I took my five-year-old shopping for supplies for kindergarten. I was surprised at the vast number of selections to choose from: Cars, Superman, Spiderman, the list went on and on. After careful thought, Tyler decided he wanted to go with Superman, complete with a giant S emblazoned on the front. Not really a big surprise since he just got a new bike, also with the Superman motif.
More than 40 million students carry backpacks but unfortunately many of these same students carry their backpacks improperly resulting in a host of injuries including headaches, neck pain, muscle spasms, tingling hands and lower back pain. For the year 2000 nearly 13,000 children were seen in emergency rooms for backpack- related injuries according to a report released by the Consumer Product Safety Commission. This number represents an astonishing 330% increase since 1996.
As parents there are a number of important issues you need to know in order to prevent backpack injury and promote spinal health. Backback Safety America is at the forefront of providing this important information to parents.
(1) According to Backpack Safety America (BSA) the maximum weight requirements of a loaded backpack should not exceed 15% of your body weight. That means for a child weighing 80 pounds the maximum weight should not exceed 12 pounds. For a child weighing 40 pounds, the maximum weight would be 6 pounds. Many kid carry around 20-40 pounds each day.
(2) BSA also advises following these rules when lifting a backpack: bend at the knees, use both hands, check the weight of the backpack, lift with your legs, apply one shoulder strap and then the other.
Part II will offer additional tips.