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September 2008 - Back to School |
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GO homepage > For Your Health
For Your Health:
Tips for a Healthy Back(pack) |
Some 26% of Americans suffer from back or neck problems, according to a 2008 report in the Journal of the American Medical Association. The loads we carry around with us could be contributing to these problems.
But with these tips from the professionals, backpack wearers young and old can benefit from greater comfort and reduced risk of injury:
Watch your weight.
The most important rule is simple: carry too much weight on your back, and you could injure it. The National Safety Council suggests that you never carry more than 15 to 20 percent of your body weight in your bag.
Using a bag with many compartments can help distribute the weight more evenly and ease the strain.
Watch where you leave (or throw) it.
A 2003 study in the journal Pediatrics showed that injuries caused by backpacks were not due simply to the weight of the contents. A majority of injuries treated by emergency room staff were due to tripping over or getting hit by backpacks.
Place backpacks in an area that is free from foot traffic. In the home, always keep your bag in the same place to lessen the risk of tripping someone.
When wearing your backpack, be mindful of those around you. Don’t forget that your “back” extends six inches or more with your load, and that load can hurt. Turning around in a crowd could result in bruises to your neighbor.
Make sure your children know that it is dangerous to throw a backpack stuffed with books and other gear. Whether it is directed at the floor under their desk or at another person, there is always risk of injury.
Additionally, some emergency room visits were the result of being cut by something when digging around in a backpack. Keeping your backpack tidy – with pens and other pointed objects securely capped and held in place – can decrease this risk.
Make it a habit to clean out your backpack each week. It will help you keep your contents in place to avoid injury, but it can also lighten your load. Carefully review all the items in your bag, and remove the things you don’t need.
Find alternatives to heavy loads.
If your child seems to be carrying more books than necessary, talk with their school. Is there a way to photocopy assignments so that students need only bring home a few pages?
During the school day, make sure your child can stop by his or her locker to switch out books. The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons suggests purchasing a second set of textbooks (if feasible) to keep at home, eliminating the need to travel with them.
Wear your bag correctly.
Choose a backpack with good padding on the shoulder straps for comfort. Wear both straps on your shoulders to properly distribute the weight load.
Tossing your bag over one shoulder may look cool, but it concentrates all the weight on one side of your body and can cause pain and even injury. In adults, it can aggravate back problems by forcing the spine out of alignment. In children, it can lay the groundwork for a lifetime of bad posture and back pain.
If your backpack features waist or chest straps (which connect in the front of the body), use them. It helps to keep the load close to the body and distribute weight evenly.
In their 2004 “Backpack Safety” fact sheet, The National Safety Council warns against backpacks or messenger bags with just one strap, even if it is worn across the body. They can cause back pain and even spasms, especially if the contents are heavy.
Padding on the back of the bag can provide more than just comfort. It can also protect against objects such as pens that might poke through and cause injury.
Watch your lift technique.
“Lift with the legs!” We’ve all heard the phrase, but it’s important to put those words into practice. Backpack Safety America, a doctor-advised prevention program, suggests that you lift your backpack using your legs, not just your arms, to avoid strain.
Then put on one shoulder strap at a time. Never hoist the bag onto your back over both arms at once.
© GlobalFit 2008
You should consult your physician before beginning any exercise or diet program. For Your Health articles are offered as introductions to basic concepts and are not comprehensive or necessarily applicable to a particular individual’s circumstances.
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