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Last Year Alone, 6,500 Children Age 5-14 Were Treated
In Emergercy Rooms For This Back-To-School Activity!
 Do You Know What It Is?
By Desiree Edlund, D.C.
Clinic Director of
OC Back & Body Doctors
Click Above for More Info
Those shocking injury statistics by the U.S. Commission of Product Safety were about backpacks. Backpacks are an essential item for most students, but millions of elementary, middle, and high school students are heading to their classes with overstuffed backpacks slung over their shoulders.
While carrying a backpack to school every day may seem harmless enough, it can cause painful neck and back problems and injuries for students who don't pack or carry their backpacks properly. Those heavy loads can cause repetitive stress injuries and spinal pain that will worsen with age and may last a lifetime.
Some studies actually say that if they are used improperly… they are outright dangerous and can cause permanent damage to your child’s spine… possibly leading to herniated discs and arthritis.
Here are some shocking back pain and backpack facts:
The Consumer Products Safety Commission estimates that more than 3,300 children aged 5 to 14 were treated in emergency rooms last year for injuries related to backpacks.
Backpack-related injuries are up 256 percent since 1996.
According to researchers at the University of Michigan spine program, up to 60 percent of children will experience back pain by the time they reach age 18.
An Auburn University study shows heavy backpacks may be a serious threat to spinal development. In their survey sample, the average pack was 17% of the child's body weight. This is the equivalent of a 150 lb. adult carrying a 26 lb. pack. 67.2% of the children studied suffered muscle soreness, 50.8% back pain, 24.5% numbness and 14.7% shoulder pain. Studies at Johns Hopkins Children's Center also show overloaded backpacks as the cause of shoulder or lower-back pain and poor posture in kids.
A study recently published in the journal, Spine, found that 6 percent of 10-year-olds complained of back pain, while 10 to 15 percent of 12-year-olds reportedly had back pain.
A recent scientific experiment found that carrying a backpack alters the mobility of spinal bones, leading to restricted movement – a risk factor for back pain.
Another study used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to examine the effect of backpacks on children’s intervertebral discs (the fluid-filled “pillows” between spinal bones). According to the article, backpacks alter the fluid content of these discs, a risk factor for disc herniation and osteoarthritis.
New research reveals an alarming danger associated with childhood backpack use. This research stems from the increasing number of reports of childhood back pain in recent decades. By the end of their teen years, 60% of youths experience at least one low back pain episode. And new research indicates that this increase may be due, at least in part, to the improper use of backpacks.
Research presented at the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation’s annual meeting in San Francisco stated that children carrying a load 0f 25% their body weight had balance problems and were more likely to experience injuries from falls.
It’s obvious from all the research that backpacks CAN be dangerous and CAN cause damage to your child’s spine IF they are not used properly. One of the biggest safety hazards with backpacks is overloading them. Many children are carrying up to 40 lbs. and are hurting themselves.
If your children are feeling headaches, neck aches, achy and strained muscles, low back pain, muscle spasms, tingling hands or are showing poor posture or having increased scoliosis complications, they are carrying too much weight improperly.
Your children should carry no more than 10-15% of their body weight on their backs. Here are some backpack weight guidelines to go by:
A child weighing…
40 lbs - Should carry no more than 6 lbs.
75 lbs - Should carry no more than 11 lbs.
100 lbs -Should carry no more than 15 lbs.
125 lbs - Should carry no more than 18 lbs.
150 lbs - Should carry no more than 22.5 lbs.
More Tips on Wearing Backpacks Properly
Make sure the weight is distributed evenly. It helps to put heavier items on the bottom… this keeps the weight off the shoulders and improves posture.
Have your child wear both shoulder straps. Lugging a heavy backpack using one strap can shift the weight to one side which can lead to misaligned spinal bones, neck and muscle spasms, low back pain and walking improperly. Get a pack with well padded or air-filled straps. Non-padded straps will dig into your shoulders and cause pain and injury. If the backpack comes with a waist strap….Make sure your child uses it.
Many injuries actually occur from simply lifting the pack off the ground. To avoid this, make sure your child always lifts with their legs bent and their backs straight up and not bent forward. Also make sure that your children only take what they need to school. The extra weight adds up fast!
Last and most important, make sure your child has their spines checked at our office to make sure their spine is in proper alignment and they are not setting themselves up for permanent injury.
You Can Even Bring Them In With Their Backpacks And We Will Make Sure That They Fit Correctly!
Remember 80-90% of all adults suffer from back pain at some time in their lives. More than 5 million adult Americans are sidelined from work each year due to chronic back pain. I wonder how many of these problems started with injuries and lack of good spinal care as a child?
If you ever have any questions or concerns about your health, talk to us. Contact us with your questions. We’re here to help you and your family live a lifetime of good health!
http://www.graspr.com/videos/Kalamazoo-Chiropractic-for-Kids-1
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- Celebrex/Vioxx (Arthritis) – Increased heart attacks.
- Daily Aspirin (Prevent Heart Attacks) – Increases hemorrhagic strokes and kills >20,000/yr due to internal bleeding. Produces joint cartilage damage (arthritis).
- Tylenol (decrease fevers) – Reyes syndrome.
- Thalidomide (Decrease morning sickness) – Devastatingly malformed babies.
- Smoking (Decrease stress) – Cancer, emphysema.
- Statin medications (Decrease cholesterol which was supposed to decrease heart attacks) – Although they might decrease cholesterol they result in more heart attacks, cancers and suicide. Mortality is higher for people who take Statin medications than for people who don’t.
- Antacids (Acid reflux/GERD) – Malnutrition, osteoporosis, lower bowel disorders, stomach cancer.
- Prozac (Depression) – Suicidal tendencies and violent behavior.
- Blood pressure medication (High blood pressure) – In short term they decrease blood pressure but cause damage to the kidney’s ability to regulate blood pressure.
- Infertility medication (Infertility) – Birth deformities, cancer in mother and baby.
- Accutane (Acne) – Birth deformities.
- Vaccines (Prevent illnesses) – Autism, learning disorders, epilepsy, encephalitis and death.
- Birth control pills (prevent pregnancy) – Infertility, birth deformities, cancer.
- Adderral (ADD, ADHD) – Self mutilation, addiction.
- Antihistamines (Allergies) – Heart problems, stimulate cancer cells.
- Synthroid (Hypothyroidism) – Osteoporosis.
- Overuse of antibiotics (Infections) – antibiotic resistant bacteria, yeast infections, recurrent secondary infections.
- Cortisone (Many anti-inflammatory uses) – weakens ligaments and tendons making them easier to injure or rupture.
- Oral type 2 diabetic medication (Lower blood sugar) – slowly make the body cells less responsive to insulin which then causes the blood sugar to rise unless more medication is used.
- Fosamax (Osteoporosis) – Only decreases fractures in 1% of those taking it.
- Flouride (Osteoporosis and cavities) – Makes bone more dense but also more brittle and susceptible to fractures and cavities.
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