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Once again, summer came and went far too quickly. And for kids, that is the worst case scenario because..... School Starts! (I always imagine the beginning of school coinciding with the high shrill sounds from the movie Psycho). But on a good note, that means that kids get to see their friends on a daily basis and are another day closer to becoming an adult (and for you parents, that hopefully means self-sufficient)! But instead of talking about long division, exploding volcano science experiments, or the "birds and the bees," I want to talk about your kids backs.
More specific than that, their Backpacks! Nowadays they come in every size, shape, color, and with everyone's personal favorite cartoon character. Where have the good ol' days gone when we just needed to carry those cool Trapper Keepers around, huh? Their backpacks are slowly becoming a travel sized locker, Storing your kids books which can weigh 3-5 pounds, papers, calculator, pens, rulers, and everything else one could possibly need for any particular class. All that weight being lugged up and carried around throughout the day.
Backpacks can be a great tool for a student, but like every tool, it needs to be used properly. Without caution, it can lead to injury and a trip to the doctor's office so here is how to avoid that:
1. Your child's backpack should never be heavier than 10-15% of their body weight. If your child weighs 100 pounds, his or her backpack shouldn't weigh more than 10 to 15 pounds, which means not much more than a couple books and a notebook of paper.
2. Your child's back pack should ALWAYS be worn on both shoulders, with its weight evenly distributed. Wearing a heavy backpack on only one shoulder, although it looks cool, can put an uneven stress on that side of the body and spine which can cause problems in the musculature and alignment of their backs.
3. Make sure your child doesn't carry unnecessary items such as cell phones, lap tops, games, etc. These items only had more bulk and can wait to be used until after school hours.
4. Encourage your kids to use their lockers and desks more often to keep their materials.
5. Use all of the backpack's compartments, keeping books and heavier items closest to the center.
Parents, make sure to monitor your child's homework planning. Keeping sure to do a little homework each day to prevent procrastinating and heavier homework loads in the future! Again, be careful with those backpacks and you'll have an easier time enjoying your school year!
Dr. Matt
