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- Dr.Joni Redlich PT,DPT
It is almost back to school time! You must have a lot of things on your plate between enjoying the last few glory days of the summer and also preparing for the start of a new school year. So we have made it easy for you with a quick guide of things to consider when purchasing a backpack.
Although the stores are stocked with bookbags with cool colors, designs, and beloved cartoon characters, try to avoid only considering the style and appearance when purchasing a bag for your little ones. Research has shown that heavy and inappropriately fitting backpacks can alter posture and alignment and place stress on the musculoskeletal system leading to neck, shoulder, and back pain or injuries with repeated use. Our bodies are complex and dynamic with many systems working together. When one area or system is stressed or overloaded, the body adapts with compensations in other areas. Unfortunately, repeated use of poorly fitting or heavy backpacks can lead to inappropriate postural alignment compensations and stress down the structural chain of the body. Since bookbags are used by our kiddos for a significant time throughout the school year, it is important to take steps to ensure appropriate use to avoid injury or compensations.
A few key concepts to follow when choosing a book bag are to increase the amount of contact area between the child and bag, minimize and distribute the weight, ensure symmetry, and keep the load as close to the trunk as possible. Below are characteristics to look for and practical tips to assist you on this back to school endeavor.
Optimal backpack characteristics:
Optimal backpack use and tips:
Signs of poor fit and use:
Please do not replace medical advice from your primary care physician, orthopedist, or physical/ occupational therapist with the information presented in this blog post. Always consult your medical team with medical advice.
https://www.choosept.com/resources/detail/backpack-safety
https://cdn.ymaws.com/www.ccapta.org/resource/resmgr/imported/MCBackpackSafety.pdf
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