Right when it seems the summer has finally gotten a hold of us, it is time for the kids to get ready for the new school year to start. This includes going through Back-To-School shopping and, not least, plan for the new demands our younglings will be facing.
If this year’s preparation includes getting a new backpack for your child, there are a few things to consider. I am sure most kids are concerned with the “cool-factor” of the backpack – but as much as that seems important to them; spine safety and health is a crucial consideration while the spine and bones are still developing.
So – what should we be looking for when loading the burden of knowledge on the growing spines? First off, it is important that the weight is not too heavy. There are a few rules-of-thumb for that – the easiest to remember is that the backpack should not weigh more than 10-15% of the weight of the child.
It is not just a matter of how MUCH they are carrying, but also HOW they carry the weight. A proper backpack choice and fitting is just as important as not carrying too much. Carrying the load low and close to the body will lessen the stresses on the spine – and if the backpack has a waist belt to allow for carrying the load on the hips, the spine load will be almost eliminated.
This can all be very confusing, so to assist you in making the right choices and have as much knowledge as possible, I will be offering a 30-45 minutes interactive Backpack Safety Workshop on Thursday, September 1st at 7:15pm at Sprout Wellness Clinic. Bring your child, their backpack filled with an “average” school day load. Please pre-register for the workshop, as space is limited by emailing info@sproutwellness.ca.
Dr Kenneth Stelsoe, DC
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