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Back Pain and Backpacks
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Posted on: 11/30/1999
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Does your child or someone you know carry a heavy backpack to school? Are you worried about back problems? Does your child complain of neck or back pain?
If so, you're not alone in your worries. Studies from around the world reflect parents' concerns over these issues. Researchers at the Dupont Hospital for Children report a direct link between backpack use and back pain.
Children from private and public schools (ages 12 to 18 years) were part of a survey about backpack use and back pain. The backpacks were weighed and compared to each child's body weight and size. Three-fourths of the students reported back pain. More girls were affected than boys.
The students who carried their backpack from class to class had more back pain than anyone else. Carrying a backpack up and down stairs or while standing and waiting increased back pain. This study reported no difference in back pain from using a pack with either one or two straps.
Teenagers who watched more than two hours of TV per day and carried backpacks at school were more likely to have back pain than backpack carriers who watched less than two hours. Finally, researchers reported increased back pain in students who carry more than 10 percent of their body weight.
The authors conclude that backpack use can lead to back pain in teenagers. The weight in the backpack and the amount of time wearing the backpack are two major factors. With increasing numbers of children and adults reporting back pain, researchers at this children's hospital advise limiting backpack use.
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References:
Geraldine I. Sheir-Neiss, PhD, et al. The Association of Backpack Use and Back Pain in Adolescents. In Spine. May 1, 2003. Vol. 28. No. 9. Pp. 922-930.
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