By Andrea Genovese Soares (October 2, 2002) 

According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, in the year 2000, about 13,000 children paid a visit to ERs throughout the country due to backpack-related injuries, a grievance that has increased 330% since 1996. Being pioneers against the evils of heavy and improperly used backpacks, California and New Jersey have passed laws limiting the weight that a child can carry on their back. 

At a middle school I briefly attended, backpacks were strictly prohibited. Generally, the pile of books we were expected to carry would have a height smaller than a foot. I personally didn’t think it was uncomfortable. At the time, I just thought it was a weird custom, but now I notice that it addresses a very serious health concern.

Ants can carry 50 times their weight, but we can’t. Many back problems can be attributed to heavy or improperly used backpacks. They have been known to cause back, neck, arms, and shoulder pain, along with tingling and numbness, (especially in the arms), loss of arm strength, burning sensations, poor posture, and general discomfort. Now, that is not news! If you have to struggle to pick up your backpack, you obviously need to change something. 

There are many things that can be done to reduce the possible damage to our backs. It all starts at the store where you plan to buy your backpack. Look for the one with the thick, squishy, or padded straps. These straps help distribute the weight, reducing the risk of strain on the back, chest, or shoulders, along with making the pack much more comfortable. Plus: cutting your blood circulation is definitely not a good idea. The backpack with one strap can be stylish, but is quite possibly the worse thing you can do to your back on a daily basis. It causes you to lean to one side to compensate for the weight, which can lead to serious lower and upper back pain, and strained shoulders and neck. The padded hip straps that come from the base of the backpack and hook up at the front serve the same purpose and are extremely effective. And again: don’t let it cut your circulation. You don’t have to be that smart to know that if you can’t breathe, SOMETHING IS WRONG! The sternum straps are also a good idea because they keep the pack close to the body. Keep in mind: backpacks shouldn’t hang more than four inches below the waist. Also, look for many compartments: they are not only useful for organizational purposes, but are also great tools to help us distribute the weight evenly.
 

Watch the author as she struggles under a backpack that is equal to 18% of her weight. (Photo by Michael Miller

The weight of the backpack is a crucial point. Remember, we’re not ants. The American Chiropractic Association (ACA) and the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) recommend that we carry no more than 10% of our weight. Just for you to get an idea, I weighed my backpack and myself on my home scale and computed the percentage of the weight. No wonder I complain so much! It equaled about 18% of my weight! It’s not a coincidence that research shows that girls are more likely to suffer from back pains, since we are expected to carry the same amount of books as the boys, yet we are usually built smaller and less heavier than they. Avoid carrying all the unnecessary stuff. Just because your bag has a special slot to fit a CD player, that doesn’t mean you have to bring it everyday. Some schools have eliminated lockers for security reasons, but George Mason thankfully doesn’t fit this scenario. I know how inaccessible lockers can be: mine is in the senior hallway. (Thank you, seniors, for being courteous about it.) The lockers are usually far away, or in places that are packed with people. Just overcome the obstacles: It’s a tool provided by the school, so don’t fail to use it.

Packing the bag can play an important role in providing comfort. Different sources vary on this topic, but most say that the heavy objects should not be placed on the bottom or top of the bag. They should be close to our backs. The lighter objects should be placed further away from the back. 

Do you know how to pick up a backpack? I know this seems very silly, since we’ve dealt with this ever since we can remember. It’s almost an instinctive skill. Yet, many parents have seriously hurt themselves trying to lift their child’s backpack, because they don’t know how. There are two places from where you can pick up a bag: one is from a desk or other higher surface, and another is from the floor. From a higher surface, place the straps and then lift it up without involving any bending of the back. Use your legs for support. Raising a backpack from the floor is a little more challenging, but involves the same principles. Face the backpack, bend your knees with a straight back, hold the bag with both hands, and place one strap at a time. When carrying it, try avoiding simultaneous movements, like bending and standing, it cuts down your chances of hurting yourself. In a high school situation, these seem impossible, but nothing is.

There are other alternatives. Some schools are allowing parents to purchase two sets of books: one for school and one for home. This obviously helps to reduce the great risks that haunt the teenagers of our time. Our parents didn’t have to haul the same weight we do, so why should we have to? The rolling backpacks are also a good idea, until you think of the tripping hazard they cause. Who hasn’t had the great experience of tripping on one in the smack middle of the hall? Some schools have gone as far as prohibiting them. 

There are many things that can be done to cut your back some slack, so don’t complain about it. I know what you are thinking—"Andrea, you are the first one to open your mouth when it comes to complaining." I DO complain a lot about it, but again, I complain about a lot of things. (I guess I’m just a whiner.) I will try to stop. Perhaps what I’m REALLY complaining of is the homework, but that’s a different story…