News Summary
As the school year begins, medical professionals highlight the health risks associated with overly heavy backpacks for students and offer safety tips.
Greenville – As the new school year begins, local doctors are raising awareness about the dangers of overloaded backpacks for students. Carrying excessive weight can lead to various aches and pains, including neck, shoulder, and back discomfort. To help prevent these issues, health professionals recommend selecting the right kind of backpack and packing it properly.
Dr. Caroline Weingart from Nationwide Children’s Hospital advises parents to choose backpacks with specific ergonomic features. These include two wide, padded shoulder straps, a padded back, and a waist or chest strap. Such features help distribute the weight more evenly and reduce strain on a child’s body. The recommended safety threshold is to keep backpack weight at a maximum of 15% of a child’s body weight. Signs indicating that a backpack may be too heavy include the child leaning or hunched over while carrying it.
In addition to selecting a suitable backpack, maintaining the correct packing strategy is critical. Heaviest items should be packed closest to the child’s back for better weight distribution, while lighter items should be placed toward the outside. This not only aids comfort but also helps in maintaining proper posture while walking.
Symptoms related to carrying overly heavy backpacks can manifest as aching backs, tingling arms, weakened muscles, and stooped postures. Young adults, including ECU student Cole Mangrum, have shared experiences of suffering from back issues, such as almost developing scoliosis due to heavy backpacks during their middle school years. The issue may not only affect posture but can also lead to long-term health complications if left unaddressed.
Dr. David Dirks from Dirks Chiropractic stresses the importance of both backpack weight and the way a backpack is worn. If a backpack is worn too low, it can negatively impact the spine, altering its natural curves and leading to further spinal issues.
Recognizing the rising concern over this matter, local experts are recommending regular checks of backpacks to remove unnecessary items that can contribute to excessive weight. They encourage parents to be proactive in ensuring that students adhere to the weight guidelines and proper packing techniques.
Additionally, the issue of backpack safety resonates amidst ongoing concerns for children’s safety in school environments. On August 16, 2023, 69-year-old Robert Daniel Mistretta attempted to kidnap a minor from her mother outside Westcliffe Elementary School. The child’s mother was able to fight off Mistretta during the struggle, but the victim’s school ID was ripped from her backpack. Mistretta was later apprehended nearby with the ID in his possession and faced legal repercussions, including a 15-year prison sentence for attempted kidnapping.
National School Backpack Awareness Day will be observed on September 21 this year, serving as an opportunity for health professionals and advocates to educate the community about the importance of backpack safety. Schools and organizations may use this day to promote awareness and encourage safe habits to ensure that students are well-equipped to carry their materials without risking their health.
As students prepare to head back to school, prioritizing backpack safety is essential to prevent unnecessary injuries and ensure their overall well-being during the academic year. By taking simple steps to choose the right backpack and pack it correctly, both parents and children can work together to avoid the discomfort and potential long-term consequences of carrying overloaded backpacks.
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Additional Resources
- Fox Carolina: Safety Alert – Preventing School Backpack Pain
- Wikipedia: Backpack
- Fox Carolina: Greenville Man Sentenced for Attempted Kidnapping
- Google Search: Backpack Safety
- WITN: Doctors Warn About Incorrect Backpack Use
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Backpack
- Greenville Online: Little Backs, Right Packs
- Google Scholar: Backpack Injuries
Author: STAFF HERE GREENVILLE
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