It's back-to-school time, and children nationwide will be
lugging books to and from classes, many of them wearing
backpacks. But beware: Those heavy bags draped over your child's
shoulders could be the source of acute or even chronic back
pain, says Dr. David Marshall, Medical Director for Children's
Health Care of Atlanta Sports Medicine Program. "It's estimated
about 40 million kids are going to be carrying backpacks, and
we're starting to see more and more back pain complaints from
the doctors in the sports medicine program," states Marshall.
Between 2010 and 2011, backpack injuries in kids aged 5 to 18
increased 6.5%, from 12,924 to 13,766, according the U.S.
Consumer Product Safety Commission. Injuries from backpacks
Marshall sees include chronic back pain and imbalance, such as
tripping and falling. If a child has a spine issue such as
scoliosis, improper backpack technique could make the pain
worse. According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic
Surgeons, the weight of a backpack should be less than