WASHINGTON — It’s the one piece of gear just about every child needs for school, but there are concerns about the pressure book-laden backpacks put on young bodies.
Because the phenomenon is so new, there are no conclusive studies yet on the long-term implications of lugging around all that weight. However, doctors and physical rehabilitation specialists are concerned.
In some cases, it is estimated kids can be carrying up to 20 percent of their body weight in their backpack. And many are wearing their backpacks incorrectly.
“In most cases, they are wearing them wrong,” says Donald Alley, co-owner of Medical Exercise Trainers in D.C. He says far too many kids wear their backpack on one shoulder and load it improperly.
He says kids need to use both shoulder straps and adjust them so the backpack sits on the center of the back. They also need to use the extra chest and waist straps found on most backpacks to better distribute the weight.
Alley says he is concerned both as a rehab conditioning specialist, and as the father of an 11-year-old.
“Well, for her of course, she looks for aesthetics,” he says about his daughter’s choice in backpacks. But Alley knows there is much more to the selection process.
He says it is important for parents to shop for a backpack with their children and, if possible, fill contenders with school supplies and check the fit, all in the store.
“Then you will know for sure because you will have an actual, functional, everyday use of the backpack while the child is there,” Alley says.
When shopping for a backpack with his daughter, Alley says, he looks for one with multiple pockets that will make it easier for her to separate textbooks from lighter school supplies.
The aim is to carry the heaviest items closest to the body, putting less pressure on still-growing bones and muscles.
Alley says it helps to have cushioned shoulder straps that are at least two inches in width. He also notes that backpacks for younger kids often having a tag spelling out the appropriate age and size range.
The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons says signs your child’s backpack is way too heavy include numbness, tingling or discomfort in the arms or legs, as well as back pain. The AAOS says heavy backpacks have been linked to posture problems but do not cause scoliosis — a sideways curvature of the spine.
