Across the nation, millians of elementary, high school college students are racing out of the school bus or carring their classes with overstuffed backpacks hang over their shoulders. While carrying a backpack to school each morning might seem harmless enough, it can cause some painful back and neck problems.

Heavy school backpacksmay also deform natural curves in the back.

If the curves are interrupted in the lower and middle back, the result is muscle strain and irritation to the ribcage or spine joints.

The imporper use of backpacks can lead tomuscke imbalance that could turn into chronic back and neck problems later in life.

POSTURAL CHANGES WHILE IMPROPER USAGE OF BACKPACKS :

HEAVY BACKPACKS FOR CHILDREN :

Over loaded book bags aren’t only responsible for back injuries, although that is the main concern but heavy book bags have also been found to cause

• Neck pain
• Shoulder pain
• Changes in curvature if the spine
• Head aches
• General exhaustion

EXERCISE TO CORRECT POOR POSTURE :

(i) Strengthening exercise

UPPER BACK STRENGTHENING EXERCISE

(ii) Stretching exercise

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 

Core strengthening exercise :

HOW TO SELECT BACK PACK :

• Backpacks should not heavier than 10% of the children’s body weight when packed.
• Make sure that backpack is light in weight sturdy and sized-matched to the children. It should not larger than children’s. Ensure the priority is on comfort, back and shoulder protection and fit rather than good looks and cheap price.
• Always choose a backpack with wide and well padded shoulder straps and with padding at the rear of the backpack where comes into contact with the back and shoulders.
• Always remember that the shoulder straps should be adjustable.. The bottom of the backpack should rest on children’s hips – not on their bottom.
• Use both shoulder straps – never slung the pack over one shoulder and use hip straps if available.
• Don’t carry the backpack low on the back – A study of 10 healthy children age 12 -14 showed that those who carried the backpack low on the back, created more the pressure on the back and shoulders when wearing it properly positioned high on the back.
• Backpack should be balance the Load. It should be designed like to carry, balanced, stable and symmetrical load held close to the spine. Parents should make sure that load is distributed properly.
• Show your child the correct way to put on the backpack and wear it properly.
• Make sure that children pack their backpack properly. The various items should be secure and not move around the back.
• Backpack should have many compartments so the children can put heaviest item in the largest compartments near the body.
• When a well designed bag is positioned correctly the back and abdominal muscles, which are amongst strongest muscles in the body, support the weight of the backpack. If the weight is not too heavy the weight is evenly spread over the body and can be supported.