“Pack it Light and Wear it Right.” That is the advice that Laredo Community College Occupational Therapy Assistant students will convey to students of all ages during National School Backpack Awareness Day on Wednesday, September 22.
As part of its Backpack Awareness Day, the American Occupational Therapy Association wants to educate parents, teachers and students about the proper weight and fit of school backpacks to avoid health problems.
Locally, students in LCC’s OTA program will offer presentations to college and elementary school students. At LCC, the presentations will be delivered to students on September 22 in the Allied Health Center at 8:40 a.m. (room 111), 11 a.m. (room 138), 1:30 p.m. (room 123) and 2:10 p.m. (room 138). The LCC students will also offer presentations to students at Buenos Aires, Roosevelt and K. Tarver elementary schools.
Carrying too much weight or improperly wearing backpacks can cause neck, shoulder and back pain, and compromise posture and breathing, according to international studies in Italy, Australia and Hong Kong reported in the past two years. In one study with American students, 6 out of 10 subjects, ages 9 to 20, reported chronic back pain related to heavy backpacks.
AOTA offers ten tips to avoid backpack-related health problems:
1. Never let a child carry more than 15 percent of his or her body weight. This means a child who weighs 100
pounds should not wear a backpack heavier than 15 pounds.
2. Load heaviest items closest to the child’s back and arrange books and materials to prevent them from sliding.
3. Always wear both shoulder straps. Wearing only one strap can cause a child to lean to one side, curving the
spine and causing pain or discomfort.
4. Select a pack with well-padded shoulder straps. Too much pressure on shoulders and neck can cause pain and
tingling.
5. Adjust the shoulder straps so that the pack fits snugly to the child’s back. The bottom of the pack should rest in
the curve of the lower back, never more than four inches below the child’s waistline.
6. Wear the waist belt, if the backpack has one, to help distribute the pack’s weight more evenly.
7. Check what your child carries to school and brings home to make sure the items are necessary to the day’s
activities.
8. If the backpack is too heavy, consider using a book bag on wheels if your child’s school allows it.
9. Choose the right size pack for your child’s back as well as one with enough room for necessary school items.
10. If a student is experiencing back pain or neck soreness, consult your doctor or occupational therapist.
To find out more about backpack safety, visit www.aota.org/backpack or consult a occupational therapy practitioner.
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