Posted on April 27, 2009 in latest news
Backpacks help kids to carry their books, belongings, to their school and back. Unfortunately, backpacks are getting heavier, putting kids at risk of back pain, shoulder pain etc. Heavier backpacks and incorrect usage of backpacks can cause pain. Parents should ensure backpack safety by buying proper backpacks and ensuring proper usage.
According to doctors, backpacks should be within 10% to 15% of the child’s body weight. Heavy backpacks can pull the child backward, and when the child pulls forward to compensate the force, it may lead to back pain and improper posture. Moreover, heavy backpacks increase the risk of falling while running, getting up and down the stairs.
Tips to Buy a Backpack:
Here are the following things you should keep in mind while buying a backpack:
- The backpack should be of light weight. Avoid leather or material which add to the weight
- The shoulder straps of the backpack should be wide. Narrow strapes can increase pressure on the shoulders and obstruct blood circulation
- Padded backpacks are better as they protect the back from pencils, books, cds etc.
- Choose multiple backpacks as they help kids in proper organization of books
Backpack Safety Tips For Kids:
Here are a few steps you can take to ensure backpack safety for kids:
- Make sure your kids wear the backpack properly and the weight should be distributed evenly over the shoulders. This will prevent muscle strain and joint pain
- Encourage your kids to use the locker by putting regularly used stuff in it. This will reduce the backpack weight
- Ensure your kids do not wear backpack over one shoulder
- Lighten the load of the backpack by making your kids more organized i.e. encourage them to carry only the books that are needed
- Discourage your kids from carrying things such as CDs, water bottles, video games in the backpack as they can make the backpack heavy
Backpacks though useful, can cause back pain and strain the muscles and joints of kids. Parents can prevent this by ensuring the proper usage and proper weight of backpacks
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