With the beginning of a new school year, children are wearing backpacks again. And with many carrying heavy textbooks for the first time, they’re also experiencing pain in their backs, necks, and shoulders. At the Carrollton chiropractic office of Dr. Peter Lazarnick (Dr. Pete), we provide care to restore the function and comfort of our patient’s musculoskeletal systems without resorting to invasive techniques, but for pain relief to last, patients have to embrace a healthy lifestyle. To that end, we wanted to remind the families who visit us of some safety precautions to keep in mind when picking or using a backpack.
Backpacks are the best way to carry loads when used properly. They make much more efficient use of the body’s mechanics than shoulder bags or handbags. However, that is only true if the user wears both shoulder straps, and ideally, a chest strap. The straps should also be padded so they won’t restrict blood flow to the arms. And although the straps shouldn’t be tightened enough to dig into a wearer’s shoulder blades, they should be snug enough to keep the backpack from dangling down near the wearer’s lumbar region.
When packing a backpack, the wearer should try to distribute objects throughout it by using its different compartments. Heavier objects should be packed first so they won’t shift as much, but the wearer should always question whether they really need anything they’re packing. Chiropractors recommend that backpacks never be packed fully enough to weigh more than 10% of the wearer’s bodyweight. Buyers should also consider whether they’ll be making use of handlebars and wheels, or if those will just add more weight. If a child does experience back and shoulder pain, we can provide treatments including low-level laser therapy and muscle energy work, but the pain will continue as long as they’re carrying too much or wearing the backpack improperly.
Dr. Peter Lazarnick is located at 486 Bankhead Hwy, Carrollton, Georgia, 30117. To schedule an appointment, call 770-832-2226 or visit www.askdrpete.com.