​With school starting this week, teaching children the importance of properly using their backpacks is key to helping avoid injury. Not knowing how to carry backpacks, as well as choosing the wrong backpacks have a direct link with back pain. It can cause muscle strains, headaches, neck and arm pain. Follow these key tips to prevent pain this school year:

Choosing the Backpack: Go for lightweight vinyl or canvas. Pick one with two wide and adjustable shoulder straps. Also make sure it has a hip or waist strap, and plenty of pockets.

Packing: Make sure your child's pack contains only what is needed for that day. Also make sure the weight is distributed evenly. For example place heavy textbooks closer to where the shoulder pads are, rather than on an outside pocket. The total weight should be no more than 10-15 % of the wearer's body weight.

Putting it On: Slip on the pack one shoulder at a time and adjust straps accordingly. If the pack is fairly heavy, have it already lifted onto a flat surface such as a table before putting it on.

Wearing It: Both shoulder straps should be used and adjusted to ensure the pack fits snugly to the body.

Fatigue: Ultimately what research into backpacks and injuries show, is that the most important factor is how tired or fatigued the individual feels when wearing it. The weaker the individual feels after using it for an extended period, is the biggest predictor of injury. This means even if one has a light-weight backpack, but it is worn for a long distance, there is still risk for injury.

'Pack it light and wear it right!'

Myth #1: ‘The pain is so bad, I need to head straight to the emergency room.’ Evidence shows that the majority of low back pain occurrences can be managed without an emergency room visit. If you have back pain along with loss of sensation of the ‘saddle area’ of the pelvis, an ER visit is warranted. Otherwise your best first step is to find a musculoskeletal expert such as a chiropractor to diagnose the back pain. If the cause is serious enough for an ER visit, a chiropractor will send you there.
 
Myth #2: ‘If there is this much pain, there must be a lot of damage to my back.’ Pain is simply a sensation that acts as an alarm bell for your brain. It’s important to know that intense pain does not necessarily mean significant damage. A chiropractor can help you figure out what the pain is related to, and what to do about it.
 
Myth #3: ‘I need an X-Ray or MRI immediately to figure out the cause of my back pain.’ Most causes of acute low back pain will not show up on advanced imaging. A health care provider is trained to know when you need advanced imaging. They have a series of other tests that can help you determine a diagnosis accurately without imaging.
 
Myth #4: ‘My back pain is gone, I don’t need my exercises anymore.’ Once pain stops, many people stop doing the things that got rid of the pain in the first place. It is very important to make exercise and low back care a regular part of your routine.
 
Myth #5: ‘I just need to stretch my low back.’ Before stretching your low back while in acute pain, get checked my an expert to make sure if stretching is the right plan of action. Depending on the cause of pain, certain stretches can make things worse. For example with a lumbar disc herniation, stretches that flex the spine can make the condition worse. A chiropractor can help tell you the root cause of the pain, and which exercises are most helpful.
 
*For more information if you are experiencing low back pain, consult one of our health care professionals
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