School backpacks may cause back injuries

It has been proven that many everyday habits can easily cause orthopaedic deviations in children and pre-adolescents, among them, sitting, sleeping posture and even carrying heavy backpacks.

The student who carries excessively heavy backpacks will suffer from  posture alterations. Excessive bag weight puts a great preassure upon the cervical column (neck) and lumbar (lower back), because the first starts projecting forward, while the latter is projected backwards. It happens due to the tendency our body has, of balancing its weight. This structure alteration doesn’t happen only in the bones. Muscles, tendons, and ligaments undergo tension and the nerves are also irritated and subject to pressure.

Such alterations have been associated to:
- Neckpain,
- Headaches,
- Pain irradiated to the arms,
- Temporomandibular joint disorders (jaws),
- Dental arcade disorders,
- Accelerated progressive deterioration of the joints, which may, over time, cause an early arthrosis.

As the bone structure in children and pre-adolescents is flexible, treatment is usually simpler at this age. It is crucial to correct bad posture habits and prevent possible orthopaedic problems at this stage, in order to avoid more severe or, even chronic injuries in the future.

Preventive measures:
- The backpack’s size should be proportional to the child/adolescent’s, and adjusted to touch his/her back.
- Look for cushioned straps to protect the shoulders.
- Avoid excessive tight straps.
- The backpack must be carried over both shoulders.
- The weight limit of the back pack should be 10 % of the child’s weight.
- Only carry the essentials.
- Heavier objects must be next to the column.
- From time to time, make sure the child doesn’t present pain or discomfort. You must not ignore any complaint of back pain in children or adolescents.
- Only use a rolling backpack or put the packpack in a rolling cart  if they have handles high enough for the child to hold them and still keep the right posture.
- Physical activities are important to strengthen the muscles.
- Go see your chiropractor.