- Make It Yourself Lavender Heart-Shaped Bath Bombs!
- 20 Things You Never Knew About “Down There”
- 12 Best Foods For Those Suffering From Arthritis Pain
- 12 Personal Hygiene Mistakes Almost Everyone Makes (Mom Never Told You About #4!)
- 15 Medicinal Plants And Herbs From The Cherokee People
- 12 Mind-Blowing Benefits Of Drinking Coconut Water During Pregnancy
- 12 Outstanding Winter Foods That Won’t Fatten You Up Like A Christmas Turkey
How To Eliminate Back Pain Caused By Backpacks
Photo credit: bigstockphoto.com
It’s back-to-school season, and that means millions of parents are buying their children backpacks. Countless students use them every day to carry their supplies from class to class, but in an attempt to keep everything they need in one place, students often end up over-packing their bags, which can lead to back pain. To make matters worse, many young people (as well as adults) wear their bags incorrectly or select backpacks that just don’t fit their bodies well regardless of how they are worn. In this article, we will explore what causes backpack-related back pain, and explain some practical steps you can take to eliminate this problem.
What causes backpacks to hurt your back?
There are a variety of factors involved in backpacks causing back pain. The most obvious source of back pain is carrying around a backpack that is just too heavy. Carrying too much weight can cause both children and adults to hunch forward when wearing their backpacks, which can cause pain and lead to poor posture. Place heavier items closest to your back; smaller, lighter items on the outside; and center the weight so that it is relatively on both sides. This distributes the weight in such a way that is balanced and will help minimize strain on your muscles.
Another big tip is to prioritize and be selective about what goes in the backpack. Pack only what you need. Don’t pack a book if there is no chance you’ll read it, and leave the laptop at home if you’re not going to use it. So many of us over-pack because we want to be ready for everything. However, with a little planning ahead, you will be able to identify what you need in advance so you can keep the number (and weight) of items you are lugging around to a minimum.
How much weight is too much? It depends on your age, fitness level and weight. For children, a good rule of thumb is that they should not be carrying more than 10 percent of their bodyweight. So, if a child weighs 70 pounds, they should only be carrying around seven pounds in their backpack on a regular basis. For adults, a fit person can carry more, but make sure you are wearing the backpack properly, which we’ll get into now.
Continue to Page 2
