Preventing Back Pain in Children
Back and neck pain are far too prevalent in today’s adult population but when your child has similar complaints, one should be concerned. One of the biggest culprits when it comes to aches and pains in our children is their back packs and how they wear them. Some of the signs that your child’s back pack is inappropriate for them or that they are wearing the pack incorrectly include:
- • stomach sticking out while carrying it
- • shoulders rolled forward
- • bending at the waist to support the weight of it
- • red marks on their shoulders
- • numbness in their arms or hands
- • neck pain or pain between their shoulder blades
- • headaches at the base of their skull
When purchasing a new back pack, as many parents and children do this time of year, one should look for:
- • a light weight bag that is the same length as your child’s torso; sits no higher than the top of their shoulders and no lower than the top of their hip bone
- • wide (at least 2”) adjustable straps with padding that does not cut into their arms or armpits
- • a waist strap and possibly even a chest strap
- • a padded back with many compartments to evenly distribute the weight
When packing a back pack one should always place heavy items closest to the back and place odd shaped items near the outside to prevent them from poking into your child’s side or back. For elementary aged children the back pack should never exceed 10% of their body weight; for junior and senior high school children their back packs should never exceed 15% of their body weight.
Parents should check their child’s bag regularly to make sure they aren’t transporting unnecessary items daily. If their bag exceeds these limits, have them carry extra books or lunches in their hands. Once your child has their new, appropriate back pack all set to go, make sure they place it on their back from table height or lift it properly with their knees bent rather than bending at their waist. Be sure to adjust the straps so that the bottom of their back pack lies in the curve at the base of their low back. By using the waist strap they re-distribute 50-70% of the bag’s weight off their upper body and onto their pelvis, which is much better suited to carrying this type of load, taking the extra stress off of the joints in their spinal column.
Repetitive loading of heavy back packs for many years combined with poor ergonomics can lead to chronic back pain throughout adulthood and impact quality of life. Small things you do now are important to your child’s health long after they’ve left their days of back packs behind. If your child has back or neck pain that lasts more than 2 or 3 days you should consult your local chiropractor for an assessment of their spine biomechanics, alignment and posture.
Dr. Megan Wambolt, BSc DC