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UC's Occupational Therapy Department Promotes Healthy Use of Backpacks for Students
Heavy, Poorly-Adjusted Backpacks Can Lead to Pain, Strain
Written By Christine Leogrande
UC's Occupational Therapy Professors Suggest Guidelines for Students, Parents About Backpack Safety
Contact - cleogrande@utica.edu
Utica, NY (09/19/2006) - We’ve all seen kids walking to school and home the last couple of weeks, some looking as though they are weighed down by backpacks stuffed with books, homework and notebooks. While this seems to be a traditional September scene, heavy, poorly-adjusted backpacks can lead to pain and strain on growing bodies.Wednesday, Sept. 20 is National School Backpack Awareness Day and the Utica College occupational therapy department is encouraging parents and educators to help students carry the load safely.
“Overloaded, unbalanced backpacks can cause weakened muscles, stooped posture and aching backs and shoulders,” said Sally Townsend, O.T.R., associate professor of occupational therapy and department chairperson. “Over time, these symptoms can cause long-term problems that could require medical intervention.”
According to the US Consumer Product Safety Commission, more than 7,000 emergency room visits in 2001 were related to backpacks and book bags. Approximately half of those injuries occurred in children 5 to 14 years old.
Townsend suggests that parents and educators follow simple guidelines to keep backpacks healthy to carry and a posture builder for young children.
Loading a pack:
• Never let a child carry more than 15% of his or her body weight. This means a child who weighs 100 pounds shouldn't wear a loaded school backpack heavier than 15 pounds.
• Load heaviest items closest to the child's back (the back of the pack).
• Arrange books and materials so they won't slide around in the backpack.
• Check what your child carries to school and brings home. Make sure the items are necessary to the day's activities.
• On days the backpack is too loaded, your child can hand carry a book or other item.
• If the backpack is too heavy, consider using a book bag on wheels if your child's school allows it.
Wearing a pack:
• Both shoulder straps should always be worn. Wearing a pack slung over one shoulder can cause a child to lean to one side, curving the spine and causing pain or discomfort.
• Select a pack with well-padded shoulder straps. Shoulders and necks have many blood vessels and nerves that can cause pain and tingling in the neck, arms, and hands when too much pressure is applied.
• Adjust the shoulder straps so that the pack fits snugly to the child's back. A pack that hangs loosely from the back can pull the child backwards and strain muscles.
• Wear the waist belt if the backpack has one. This helps distribute the pack's weight more evenly.
• The bottom of the pack should rest in the curve of the lower back. It should never rest more than four inches below the child's waistline.
• School backpacks come in different sizes for different ages. Choose the right size pack for your child's back as well as one with enough room for necessary school items.
Source: American Occupational Therapy Association
“A properly balanced and loaded backpack gives a child a good workout walking to and from school, “Townsend said.
For more information about occupational therapy recommendations or the Utica College OT program, call 792-3146.
About Utica College – Founded in 1946, Utica College is a comprehensive private institution that grants the Syracuse University baccalaureate degree and the Utica College master’s and doctoral degrees. The College, located in central New York, approximately 90 miles west of Albany and 50 miles east of Syracuse, currently enrolls an approximated 2,300 undergraduate and 350 graduate students in 31 undergraduate majors, 24 minors, 13 master’s and two doctoral degree programs.
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