Pack it
Light, Wear it Right!
Parents
take note!
When back
to school shopping this year, there is one essential item that requires very
special attention: your child's backpack-who knew?!
Backpack weight is becoming an increasing
problem, and studies show that heavy backpacks can lead to both back pain and
poor posture, noted the American Chiropractic Association. In fact, in 2001,
backpacks were the cause of 7,000 emergency room visits and countless
complaints of muscle spasms, neck and shoulder pain.
6th graders had the wonderful opportunity
to learn more about this topic by Lynn Sialana, who is an Occupational
Therapist. An Occupational is someone who treats patients with
injuries, illnesses, or disabilities through the therapeutic use of everyday
activities. They help these patients develop, recover, and improve the skills
needed for daily living and working.
Mrs. Sialana came to H102 and taught a fabulous
lesson on backpacks, their weight, and the correct way to wear them. She first
asked the kids to weigh themselves with their backpacks on, then had them find
out the percentage weight of the backpack by dividing their weight. It
incorporated a lot of complicated math!
She even spoke about purses—I’m sure a lot of
the teachers at Keone’ula would learn a lot about this topic!
Thankfully, backpacks have undergone a radical
evolution in recent years and now many are designed to be ergonomic while
remaining fashionable.
Backpack
Buying Tips:
-Make sure your child's
backpack weighs no more than 15 percent of his or her body weight. A heavier
backpack will cause your child to stoop forward in an attempt to support the
additional weight.
-The backpack should never
hang more than 4 inches below the waistline. A backpack that hangs too low
increases the weight on the shoulders, causing your child to lean forward when
walking.
-A backpack with
individualized compartments helps position the contents most effectively. Make
sure that pointy or bulky objects are packed away from the area that will rest
on your child's back, and try to place the heaviest items closet to the body.
-Bigger is not necessarily
better. The more room there is in a backpack, the more your child will carry
and the heavier the backpack will be.
-Urge your child to wear
both shoulder straps. Lugging the backpack around by one strap can cause a
disproportionate shift of weight to one side, leading to neck and muscle
spasms, as well as low-back pain.
-Wide, padded straps are
very important. Non-padded straps are uncomfortable, and can dig into your
child's shoulders.
-The shoulder straps should
be adjustable so the backpack can be fitted to your child's body. Straps that
are too loose can cause the backpack to dangle uncomfortably and cause spinal
misalignment and pain.
-Please read the informational handout (webpage) given by Mrs. Sialana and
take care of your body---it will thank you later on in life!
Thank you very much Mrs. Sialana! We are APPRECIATIVE for your KNOWLEDGE!
Written by Grade 6
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