Back to school is right around the corner! (I feel every year gets faster and faster with age!) So it’s time to buy school supplies and a new backpack. While kids are focused on wanting a *Captain America* backpack, (or unicorn) make sure you are buying for their size, not character or pattern. This will help protect their spine.

My son starts pre-kindergarten this year! Ahhhh! How did we get old enough so quickly? He is super excited about going to big boy school and he was dead set on having a *Captain America* backpack this year. (My how we have grown up from Paw Patrol in preschool 😭😭😭.) So I did a bit of research to find the perfect bag for him and although the bag is smaller than most, it is still a tad bit big for him. Maybe he will have a growth spurt soon!

How to buy a backpack?

Size matters- You need to choose a backpack that is appropriately sized for the child. It should fit across their shoulders and be no longer than 3 inches past their waist (rib cage/natural waist). The backpack needs to have two straps and fit snuggly around the child.

Straps- Choose a backpack with broad thick padded straps. This helps evenly distribute the weight of the backpack better across the shoulders. (Make sure the child is using both straps and not hanging the backpack on just one shoulder.)

Insides- Choose a pack that has dividers or pockets inside. This allows the weight to be more evenly distributed within the backpack itself.

Don’t allow your child to carry more than 15% of their body weight in the backpack. So a 100 pound child shouldn’t exceed 15 pounds of weight.

*If the backpack has chest or waist straps make sure that they fit the child appropriately. Chest straps should buckle at the middle of their sternum and under the arms enough that they have full range of motion of their arms. Hip straps should buckle at the top or right on their hips.

Proper Carrying

Lift properly- Make sure your child isn’t grabbing the backpack and throwing it over their shoulder. Over time that is going to cause pain and other health problems. It can also cause a scoliosis due to the child growing and more weight being put on one side of their body.

Proper lifting:

1. Face the backpack before you lift it.
2. Bend at the knees and lift with your legs.
3. Carefully put one shoulder strap on at a time.

Too much weight in a backpack can also cause neck issues due to trying to keep balanced. You will actually start to learn forward with your head to offset the weight on your back. This can cause issues with headaches, upper back pain, arm and shoulder pain due to compression of the brachial plexus *as well as lower back pain*! So make sure your posture isn’t causing damage to your spine.

Get Adjusted!

Proper size and wearing a backpack correctly aren’t the only things that can help your child’s spinal health. Backpack injury or not, regular chiropractic adjustments are a natural way of reducing subluxations and pressure, restoring normal range of motion and function of the spine. When children are growing, it’s very important to keep their spine healthy, or they can develop pain, scoliosis or other health problems later on in life.

If you want your Childs backpack checked, call the chiropractor! While you are there, get them adjusted!! People of all ages whether preschool or graduate school, need to be checked regularly due to the extra weight they are putting on their back due to backpacks (for school or work!).

~Dr. Lacey~
Carder Chiropractic Clinic, INC.
El Reno, OK 73036