August 22, 2005 The new school year is here. For many, this
means getting a new backpack and filling it with new supplies,
new books, and all the electronic necessities one needs to make
it through the school day. "Compared to shoulder bags or purses,
backpacks are better because the strongest muscles in the body -
the back and the abdominal muscles - support the weight of the
packs. When worn correctly, the weight is evenly distributed
across the child's body, and shoulder and neck injuries are less
common than if the child carried a briefcase or purse. As
practical as backpacks are, though, they can strain muscles and
joints and may cause back pain if they're too heavy or are So,
backpacks "can strain muscles and joints and may cause back
pain..." How bad could that be? "'If we don't correct the
backpack issues that are causing children back pain, the issue
will become magnified in years to come,' Wilmarth said.
According to Wilmarth, injury can occur when a child, in trying
to adapt to a heavy load, uses f