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Dave Larsen writes about higher education.
Kelly Mori writes about health and higher education.Home > Blogs > On Campus > Archives > 2008 > August > 12 > Entry
The “ABC’S” of backpack use
Students from grade school to college use backpacks to carry their school-related materials, and many can risk injury through improper fit and use.
“An overloaded backpack or improper fit may place unbalanced stress on a student’s neck, shoulders and back leading to pain or posture problems,” said Philip Anloague, director of the University of Dayton’s Doctor of Physical Therapy program, in a media release.
A study published in the Journal of American College Health of young adults and adolescents found 30 percent experienced low back pain unrelated to injury, and more than half of those cases were suspected to be due to improperly wearing a backpack.
Anloague recommends students follow the ABC’S of backpack use:
Asymmetry — Avoid asymmetry. The backpack should be worn in a way that keeps the body in alignment to maintain good posture. The head should not be forward, and the student should be able to wear the pack with the shoulders over the hips without leaning or shifting to one side.
Body weight — The backpack load should be no more than 10 to 15 percent of the person’s body weight. Carry only the items needed for that day or class. Place the heaviest items closest to the back.
Center the weight — Wear the backpack over the strongest muscles of the back. Typically, this is near the middle of the back. The backpack should not rest below the low back.
Straps — Wear both straps. Using only one strap may cause one side of the body to bear the weight of the pack unevenly. The straps should allow free arm movement, but they should not be loose.
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