It is not a secret that heavy back (BP) packs for school children are the leading cause of lower back and shoulder pain. I have seen too many children in my almost ten years of my practice suffering from this problem unnecessary. About 40,000,000 students go to school every day. It is crucial that every child carries their schoolpacks properly in order to avoid neck, lower back and shoulder pain.

Make sure the backpack is the right size for your child. The proper size is equal to 75% of your child’s back, meaning the space between the waste and the shoulder blades.
* A child’s back pack weight should never exceed 15% of their body weight according to The Congress of Chiropractic State Association. So this little chart should be helpful.
50 pound child carrying copacity should be no more than 7.5 pounds
80 pound child carrying copacity should be no more than 12 pounds
100 pound child carrying copacity should be no more than 15 pounds
130 pound child carrying copacity should be no more than 19.5 pounds
150 pound child carrying copacity should be no more than 22.5 pounds
* Choose a backpack with padded shoulder straps that sit on both shoulders. BP with one strap such as messenger bags distribute all the weight on one shoulder instead of evenly on both shoulders. Also, bak pack without padded shoulder straps can cause pressure on the nerves that surround the child’s armpits.
Safety tips on how to avoid backpack injuries [Read more…]