Pack It Light And Wear It Right

It is a shocking statistic but by the end of their teens, 50% of Irish children will have suffered at least one episode of severe low back pain. Worse still, out of these children, 25% will continue to have problems in to their adult lives. Yet we could dramatically reduce these staggering statistics by simply following some simple advice, and making our children aware of their spines. One major contributory cause is the backpack and the incidence of backpack related injuries has increased by 330% since 1996!

So when choosing or buying a backpack follow these simple tips:

a) Make sure the backpack has wide and well-padded shoulder straps. This is to prevent the delicate nerves and blood vessels in your neck/shoulder area from being compressed and damaged.
b) Ensure that there is a Waist strap. This is so important as the waist strap decreases the amount of weight from the shoulders by about 50 -70%. Therefore, it distributes the weight on to the pelvis.
c) The backpack should have several compartments and pockets to keep the weight more evenly distributed
d) It should be made out of a firm material that prevents sag and keeps the load close to the spine.
e) Finally make sure it is the correct size! Measure the distance from your shoulder line (where the straps sit) to a line perpendicular to your belly button and add 2 inches. The width should be approximately the distance between the shoulder lines i.e. the distance between where your straps should be.



So now, you have a proper backpack how should you pack and carry it?

a) The backpack should be loaded evenly and tightly
b) Pack the backpack with the heaviest items closest to your spine
c) Pack the backpack on a table or counter that is close to waist level, to avoid lifting a full backpack from the floor.
d) Most importantly make sure that you do not have too much weight. The maximum recommended weight for a backpack is no more than 15% of your body weight

This final point is so important as carrying too much weight can cause spinal distortion and twist the spine out of alignment leading to nerve damage and pain. Over time, an overloaded backpack can also cause a person to lean forward, reducing their balance and thus making it easier for them to fall. It can also cause rounding of the shoulders and it can contribute to what we call a scoliosis. This is where the spinal distortion becomes permanent and causes your spine to grow crooked.

So finally, how should you lift a backpack?
a) Lift with your knees bent and use your leg muscles
b) Lift the pack smoothly
c) Avoid flinging your backpack over your shoulder.
d) And always, always carry the backpack on both shoulders

One final point concerns the use of a wheelie bag or roller bag instead of a backpack. Unfortunately, wheelie bags are neither a good nor a viable solution at all. An empty roller bag can weigh up to 80% more than an empty backpack. Factor in that there is a tendency to add more things to a roller bag, it can end up weighing 50 pounds or more and pulling it involves twisting the spine! So keep using the backpacks but pack it light and wear it right!

For more information please contact us at the Kilworth Chiropractic Clinic on 025 27436.