Back to school and backpack safety for kids

Back to school and backpack safety

These days, secondary school kids are expected to carry a lot of books and sports equipment to and from school, so I thought it would be timely to give some tips to look after your child’s back.

What to look for in a backpack:

•Choose ultra light material and reduce any added on toys to reduce weight
•Make sure the shoulder straps are thickly padded for comfort and support
•Choose a pack with multiple compartments as this also helps to distribute the weight and reducing injury.
•Reflective trims help to increase visibility at night
•Size, small children need small backpacks, the general recommendation is kids should carry only 10 – 15% of their body weight, in order to avoid an increase in the curve of the spine, strain on their back, spine and neck. So a 5 stone child should only carry about 7 lbs.
•Get one that has a waist strap to help the pack fit snugly on the back and distribute the weight more evenly, this takes the pressure off their back and shoulders and stops the weight pulling down on their back and creating a slouched posture.

How to wear it:

•You don’t want it to ride down too low on their back, hanging over their bottom, so adjust the pack so it sits no less than 4” below their waistline.
•Your child should carry their backpack on both shoulders to avoid back strain. Often kids want to be cool and throw backpack over on one side but its much easier for their body to wearing across both shoulders to distribute the weight evenly avoids developing curvature of the spine also known as scoliosis.
•Load heaviest items first so they are as close to the spine as possible as when they are in the front of the bag, faraway from your back, they feel heavier and also act as a lever putting more strain on your spine.

Other ideas:

•Make some decisions about what it is necessary to carry in the back pack and what can be left at home, in a locker
•If they can finish up an assignment at school, then encourage them not to bring the heavy books home.
•If they have to bring sports gear or a heavy book back it can help to carry it in both arms to even out distributing the load.
•Paperbacks are lighter than hardbacks

So now, is your child able to stand upright with their loaded pack on, without having to bend through their mid back and poking their head forwards?

If you are concerned about your child’s posture or would like advice with sizing and fitting your child’s back pack, please give us a call on 0117 923 1138

Jeni

8 September 2013