Backpack Safety
by Dena Kerr, D.C., C.P.C.E.

The expression "carrying a heavy load" has taken on new meaning for most students. The problem is the overloaded and improperly carried backpacks shouldered by thousands of children as they trudge their way to, from and around school. In our chiropractic practice in Tivoli and Rhinebeck, we've treated children who have been carrying nearly 40 pounds of books and other things in their packs! However, it's not just the weight that concerns us. Often the backpacks are incorrectly sized, swung over one shoulder, or just not very well balanced.

According to the U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission, in 2002 alone there were 7,860 emergency room visits related to backpack injuries. That marks the sixth year in a row that backpack related injuries have increased, up 360% since 1996. This news comes on the heels of a study recently published in the journal Spine that evaluated the connection between improper backpack use and back pain. In that study, which involved 1,122 students, 75% reported back pain within the previous month.

And worse is to come, as the students of today become the working adults of tomorrow. Back pain already leads to more than 19 million doctor visits per year, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Imagine what that figure will be when the "Backpack Generation" is in their thirties and forties! Common sense tells us that a heavy load distributed improperly or unevenly, day after day, is going to cause stress on a growing spinal column. The old adage "As the twig is bent, so grows the tree," comes to mind.

Studies such as those mentioned above confirm the need for educational programs that deliver the guidelines for proper backpack use to parents, students and school administrators. Our goal should be to educate children at an early age to utilize a backpack properly so that they don't end up with spinal or repetitive stress injuries later in life. That is why we at Rhinebeck Cooperative Health Center and the Alternatives Health Centre of Tivoli have allied with Backpack Safety America to present a comprehensive, educational program aimed at children from kindergarten to eighth grade to train them in the safe, biomechanically correct way to use backpacks. We're committed to the health and safety of our children. The following safety tips from Backpack Safety America can be used as a guideline in preparing for the upcoming school year.

1. Choose right--Choosing the right size backpack is the first and most important step to safe backpack use. The proper size backpack is 75% of the length of the child's back, approximately the space between the shoulder blades and the waist. Look for child-sized versions for children ages 5-10.

2. Pack right--The maximum weight of the loaded backpack should not exceed 10% of the child's body weight. Pack only what is needed for that day. Fill the compartments so that the load is evenly distributed and items don't shift during movement. Carry a book or two by hand to relieve the load if necessary. Clean out the backpack at least once a week. If the backpack forces the wearer to lean forward to carry, it is overloaded.

3. Lift right--Use these steps for proper lifting to help prevent injury:

a) Face the pack. b) Bend at the knees. c) Using both hands, check the weight of the back. d) Lift with the legs. e) Apply one shoulder strap at a time.

4. Wear it right--Use both shoulder straps at all times to avoid unnecessary pressure to one side of your body. Shoulder straps should be snug, not tight. Adjust the straps so that the bottom of the pack is two inches above the waist and the top is just below the base of the skull. If the backpack has a waist strap, use it to stabilize the load.

For more information on backpack safety and how you can bring a program to your school or school district, visit www.backpacksafe.com or contact Dr. Dena Kerr at 845-876-5556 or 845-757-5555.