Are Children's Backpack Weight Limits Enough?: A Critical Review of the Relevant Literature.
Spine. 29(19):2184-2190, October 1, 2004.
Brackley, Heather M. MSc; Stevenson, Joan M. PhD
Abstract:
Study Design. Literature review.
Objective. To examine the epidemiologic, physiologic, and biomechanical literature that has contributed to the suggested weight limit of 10 to 15% body weight for children's backpacks.
Summary of Background Data. The majority of children use a backpack to transport their belongings to and from school on a daily basis; however, controversy exists over the safety of backpack use and backpack loads.
Methods. A thorough review of the literature was completed to examine the appropriateness of the suggested weight limits and to determine future areas of research needed to increase the safety of children's backpacks.
Results. Epidemiologic, physiologic, and biomechanical data support the suggested weight limit of 10% to 15% body weight.
Conclusions. Based on the current literature, the value of 10% to 15% body weight is a justified weight limit; however, further research is required to determine the association between backpack use and injury and how the factors of load, backpack design, and personal characteristics, such as physical fitness, interact and influence the adaptations required when carrying a backpack
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Backpacks Under Attack
If “posture is the window to the spine,” then the picture we see through that window shows that we need to be more aware of our spinal health. Kids spend countless hours contorting themselves -- improperly wearing their backpacks, slouching at computers, hovering over handheld computer games, and even sprawling in front of the television.
"By educating children in proper 'body mechanics' and healthy posture, we can help them grow up with less pain, reduce the odds of future disability, and help this future workforce decrease on-the-job injuries," explains Dr. Marvin Arnsdorff author of "Pete the Posture Parrot" (Body Mechanics Press, $16.00 at www.backpacksafe.com). "Many adults with chronic spinal conditions can trace their problems to years of bad posture habits and poor body mechanics formed in early childhood."
Backpacks under attack
In the last decade, there has been an alarming rise in emergency room visits due to improperly worn backpacks among children 18 years old or younger (over a 300 percent increase). Here are four guidelines for proper backpack use:
1. CHOOSE RIGHT -- Choosing the correct sized backpack is an important first step to safe backpack use. The backpack should not be larger than three quarters of the length of a child’s back. The shoulder straps should be padded and a waist strap is ideal.
2. PACK RIGHT -- The maximum weight of the loaded backpack should not exceed 15% of your child’s body weight, so only pack what is needed. Heavier books should be closer to the child. Regardless of the weight, if the backpack forces the wearer to bend forward to carry, it is overloaded.
3. LIFT RIGHT -- Even adults can hurt themselves if they lift 20 pounds improperly. Imagine what a child could do to a growing spine lifting 20 pounds improperly. Here are the guidelines for lifting a backpack:
a) Face the pack.
b) Bend at the knees.
c) Use both hands and check the weight of the pack.
d) Lift with the legs.
e) Apply one shoulder strap, then the other.
4. WEAR RIGHT -- Use both shoulder straps snug but not too tight (the pack should not hang down past the waist). When the backpack has a waist strap, it should be used.
Proper lifting is important regardless of the size of what you’re lifting. Remember that repetitive stress injuries occur over the long term and the pain that arrives is the result of years of poor lifting habits. By helping kids lift their backpacks carefully and with these recommended steps, you can help your children prevent years of painful existence.
Dr. Marvin Arnsdorff is a practicing doctor of chiropractic, a certified injury prevention specialist, and leader of the children’s ergonomics movement. He is the author of Pete the Posture Parrot™: Dinosaur Dreams, the world’s first children’s book to address the issue of backpack safety, and co-author of Backpack Safety America™: A Middle Grades Curriculum to Promote Backpack Safety and Spinal Health. Visit www.backpacksafe.com for more information on these books and on proper spinal health for kids of all ages.
"By educating children in proper 'body mechanics' and healthy posture, we can help them grow up with less pain, reduce the odds of future disability, and help this future workforce decrease on-the-job injuries," explains Dr. Marvin Arnsdorff author of "Pete the Posture Parrot" (Body Mechanics Press, $16.00 at www.backpacksafe.com). "Many adults with chronic spinal conditions can trace their problems to years of bad posture habits and poor body mechanics formed in early childhood."
Backpacks under attack
In the last decade, there has been an alarming rise in emergency room visits due to improperly worn backpacks among children 18 years old or younger (over a 300 percent increase). Here are four guidelines for proper backpack use:
1. CHOOSE RIGHT -- Choosing the correct sized backpack is an important first step to safe backpack use. The backpack should not be larger than three quarters of the length of a child’s back. The shoulder straps should be padded and a waist strap is ideal.
2. PACK RIGHT -- The maximum weight of the loaded backpack should not exceed 15% of your child’s body weight, so only pack what is needed. Heavier books should be closer to the child. Regardless of the weight, if the backpack forces the wearer to bend forward to carry, it is overloaded.
3. LIFT RIGHT -- Even adults can hurt themselves if they lift 20 pounds improperly. Imagine what a child could do to a growing spine lifting 20 pounds improperly. Here are the guidelines for lifting a backpack:
a) Face the pack.
b) Bend at the knees.
c) Use both hands and check the weight of the pack.
d) Lift with the legs.
e) Apply one shoulder strap, then the other.
4. WEAR RIGHT -- Use both shoulder straps snug but not too tight (the pack should not hang down past the waist). When the backpack has a waist strap, it should be used.
Proper lifting is important regardless of the size of what you’re lifting. Remember that repetitive stress injuries occur over the long term and the pain that arrives is the result of years of poor lifting habits. By helping kids lift their backpacks carefully and with these recommended steps, you can help your children prevent years of painful existence.
Dr. Marvin Arnsdorff is a practicing doctor of chiropractic, a certified injury prevention specialist, and leader of the children’s ergonomics movement. He is the author of Pete the Posture Parrot™: Dinosaur Dreams, the world’s first children’s book to address the issue of backpack safety, and co-author of Backpack Safety America™: A Middle Grades Curriculum to Promote Backpack Safety and Spinal Health. Visit www.backpacksafe.com for more information on these books and on proper spinal health for kids of all ages.
Mounting research reveals alarming danger associated with improper backpack use
By: Dr. Marvin Arnsdorff and John Carroll
Co-creators of Backpack Safety America/International™
THE BEGINNING OF AN EPIDEMIC
Scientific research reveals an alarming danger associated with improper childhood backpack use. This research stems from the increasing number of reports of childhood back pain in recent decades. By the end of their teen years, close to 60 percent of youths experience at least one low-back pain episode. And new research indicates that this may be due, at least in part, to the improper use of backpacks on young spines. Back pain leads to more than 19 million doctor visits per year, according to the U.S. Department of Human Health and Services. What will that figure be when the members of the “Backpack Generation” are in their thirties and forties?
BACKPACKS’ ATTACK ON BACKS
Watch children in any schoolyard struggle to walk while bent sideways under the weight of an overloaded backpack on one shoulder. You will quickly realize the potential danger of this commonplace item. How exactly does carrying a backpack affect the spine? Common sense tells us that a load, distributed improperly or unevenly, day after day, indeed causes stress to a growing spinal column. The old adage “As the twig bends, so grows the tree” comes to mind. There is a growing concern about the improper use of backpacks and the relatively scarce amount of instructional and preventative information available to young people. It is not the backpack’s fault that kids have not been given the guidelines.
CHECK THE NUMBERS
The Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates over 7000 emergency room visits each year result from injuries related to book bags. The CPSC also reports that backpack-related injuries are up 300% since 1996.
Do this “heavy” math: 12 pounds in an average child’s backpack times 10 lifts per day equals 120 pounds lifted per day. This 120 pounds per day times 180 days per school year equals 21,600 pounds lifted in one school year. That is nearly 11 tons, or the equivalent of six full size automobiles.
GETTING OUT OF LINE
Hauling a heavy backpack over one shoulder everyday may cause serious postural misalignments. These postural imbalances often trigger a condition called vertebral subluxation. Vertebral subluxations are dysfunctional areas in the spine where movement is restricted or bones (vertebrae) are out of alignment. This disorder predisposes patients to a number of ailments, such as neck and back pain, headaches, and osteoarthritis.
In addition, a recent scientific experiment found that carrying a backpack alters the mobility of spinal bones and can lead to restricted movement—a risk factor for pain. Yet another study used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to examine the effect of backpacks on the intervertebral disc of the spine, the fluid-filled “pillows” between spinal bones. According to the report, backpacks alter the fluid content of these discs—a risk factor for disc herniation (“slipped” disc) and osteoarthritis.
BACKPACKS ARE NOT JUST CAUSING PROBLEMS IN THE UNITED STATES
The amount of weight carried by children in their backpacks is an important issue that deserves serious consideration. To quantify how much weight children are likely to carry in their backpacks, researchers in Milan, Italy, determined the weight of all the backpacks used by sixth graders at several schools.
The average load carried daily 20.5 pounds, reaching as much as 27.5 pounds, with the maximum daily load averaging 25.3 pounds. Over one-third of students carried more than 30% of their body weight at least once during the week.
BACKPACKS MAY SPAWN FALLS
Research presented at the American Academy of physical Medicine and Rehabilitation’s annual meeting in San Francisco exposes yet another potential danger of heavy backpacks: they promote falls in students who wear them.
Specifically, students who carried packs weighing 25% of their body weight exhibited balance problems while performing normal activities such as climbing stairs or opening doors, which in turn increases their risk of falls. In contrast, students who carried packs weighing 15% of their body weight maintained their balance moderately well. Those carrying 5% of their body weight were most effective at maintaining balance, compared with their peers who carried more weight.
ROLLER BAGS ARE NOT CURE-ALLS
An empty roller bag can weigh up to 80% more than an empty backpack. Factor in that there is a tendency to add more things to a roller bag, it can end up weighing 50 pounds or more. At some point during the day, a child needs to lift that bag, and proper guidelines still should be followed.
These disturbing trends clearly show the importance of a comprehensive educational program designed to give students, parents, and teachers guidelines necessary to prevent future spinal conditions due to improperly worn backpacks.
BACKPACK SAFETY TIPS
Make sure the backpack is sturdy and appropriately sized. Some manufacturers offer special child-sized versions for children ages 5-10. These packs weigh less than a pound and have shorter back lengths and widths so they do not slip around on the back.
Consider more than looks when choosing a backpack. An ill-fitting pack can cause back pain, muscle strain, or nerve impingement. You want to have padded shoulder straps to avoid pressure on the nerves around the armpits. Some backpacks have waist straps designed to stabilize the load. These should be used whenever possible.
The proper maximum weight for loaded backpacks should not exceed 15% of the child’s body weight. For example, an 80-pound child should not carry more than 12 pounds in a pack. If the pack forces the carrier to bend forward, it is overloaded.
In loading, it is obvious that excessive backpack weight can cause problems. Prioritizing the pack’s content is very important. Avoid loading unnecessary items. It is important to balance the weight of the contents or the body shifts into unnatural postures to compensate.
Often ignored is the act of lifting and positioning the pack. Lifting 20 pounds improperly can cause damage. Follow these simple steps:
• Face the backpack before you lift it.
• Bend at the knees.
• Using both hands, check the weight of the pack.
• Lift with your legs, not your back.
• Carefully put one shoulder strap on at a time. Never sling the pack onto one shoulder.
Use both shoulder straps. Make them snug but not too tight. Carrying the backpack on one shoulder, while fashionable, can cause long-term neck, shoulder, back, and postural problems. Use the stabilizing waist strap around the waist.
CONTACT
Backpack Safety America
www.backpacksafe.com
(800) 672-4277
Co-creators of Backpack Safety America/International™
THE BEGINNING OF AN EPIDEMIC
Scientific research reveals an alarming danger associated with improper childhood backpack use. This research stems from the increasing number of reports of childhood back pain in recent decades. By the end of their teen years, close to 60 percent of youths experience at least one low-back pain episode. And new research indicates that this may be due, at least in part, to the improper use of backpacks on young spines. Back pain leads to more than 19 million doctor visits per year, according to the U.S. Department of Human Health and Services. What will that figure be when the members of the “Backpack Generation” are in their thirties and forties?
BACKPACKS’ ATTACK ON BACKS
Watch children in any schoolyard struggle to walk while bent sideways under the weight of an overloaded backpack on one shoulder. You will quickly realize the potential danger of this commonplace item. How exactly does carrying a backpack affect the spine? Common sense tells us that a load, distributed improperly or unevenly, day after day, indeed causes stress to a growing spinal column. The old adage “As the twig bends, so grows the tree” comes to mind. There is a growing concern about the improper use of backpacks and the relatively scarce amount of instructional and preventative information available to young people. It is not the backpack’s fault that kids have not been given the guidelines.
CHECK THE NUMBERS
The Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates over 7000 emergency room visits each year result from injuries related to book bags. The CPSC also reports that backpack-related injuries are up 300% since 1996.
Do this “heavy” math: 12 pounds in an average child’s backpack times 10 lifts per day equals 120 pounds lifted per day. This 120 pounds per day times 180 days per school year equals 21,600 pounds lifted in one school year. That is nearly 11 tons, or the equivalent of six full size automobiles.
GETTING OUT OF LINE
Hauling a heavy backpack over one shoulder everyday may cause serious postural misalignments. These postural imbalances often trigger a condition called vertebral subluxation. Vertebral subluxations are dysfunctional areas in the spine where movement is restricted or bones (vertebrae) are out of alignment. This disorder predisposes patients to a number of ailments, such as neck and back pain, headaches, and osteoarthritis.
In addition, a recent scientific experiment found that carrying a backpack alters the mobility of spinal bones and can lead to restricted movement—a risk factor for pain. Yet another study used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to examine the effect of backpacks on the intervertebral disc of the spine, the fluid-filled “pillows” between spinal bones. According to the report, backpacks alter the fluid content of these discs—a risk factor for disc herniation (“slipped” disc) and osteoarthritis.
BACKPACKS ARE NOT JUST CAUSING PROBLEMS IN THE UNITED STATES
The amount of weight carried by children in their backpacks is an important issue that deserves serious consideration. To quantify how much weight children are likely to carry in their backpacks, researchers in Milan, Italy, determined the weight of all the backpacks used by sixth graders at several schools.
The average load carried daily 20.5 pounds, reaching as much as 27.5 pounds, with the maximum daily load averaging 25.3 pounds. Over one-third of students carried more than 30% of their body weight at least once during the week.
BACKPACKS MAY SPAWN FALLS
Research presented at the American Academy of physical Medicine and Rehabilitation’s annual meeting in San Francisco exposes yet another potential danger of heavy backpacks: they promote falls in students who wear them.
Specifically, students who carried packs weighing 25% of their body weight exhibited balance problems while performing normal activities such as climbing stairs or opening doors, which in turn increases their risk of falls. In contrast, students who carried packs weighing 15% of their body weight maintained their balance moderately well. Those carrying 5% of their body weight were most effective at maintaining balance, compared with their peers who carried more weight.
ROLLER BAGS ARE NOT CURE-ALLS
An empty roller bag can weigh up to 80% more than an empty backpack. Factor in that there is a tendency to add more things to a roller bag, it can end up weighing 50 pounds or more. At some point during the day, a child needs to lift that bag, and proper guidelines still should be followed.
These disturbing trends clearly show the importance of a comprehensive educational program designed to give students, parents, and teachers guidelines necessary to prevent future spinal conditions due to improperly worn backpacks.
BACKPACK SAFETY TIPS
Make sure the backpack is sturdy and appropriately sized. Some manufacturers offer special child-sized versions for children ages 5-10. These packs weigh less than a pound and have shorter back lengths and widths so they do not slip around on the back.
Consider more than looks when choosing a backpack. An ill-fitting pack can cause back pain, muscle strain, or nerve impingement. You want to have padded shoulder straps to avoid pressure on the nerves around the armpits. Some backpacks have waist straps designed to stabilize the load. These should be used whenever possible.
The proper maximum weight for loaded backpacks should not exceed 15% of the child’s body weight. For example, an 80-pound child should not carry more than 12 pounds in a pack. If the pack forces the carrier to bend forward, it is overloaded.
In loading, it is obvious that excessive backpack weight can cause problems. Prioritizing the pack’s content is very important. Avoid loading unnecessary items. It is important to balance the weight of the contents or the body shifts into unnatural postures to compensate.
Often ignored is the act of lifting and positioning the pack. Lifting 20 pounds improperly can cause damage. Follow these simple steps:
• Face the backpack before you lift it.
• Bend at the knees.
• Using both hands, check the weight of the pack.
• Lift with your legs, not your back.
• Carefully put one shoulder strap on at a time. Never sling the pack onto one shoulder.
Use both shoulder straps. Make them snug but not too tight. Carrying the backpack on one shoulder, while fashionable, can cause long-term neck, shoulder, back, and postural problems. Use the stabilizing waist strap around the waist.
CONTACT
Backpack Safety America
www.backpacksafe.com
(800) 672-4277
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