The Problem With Backpacks and How They Affect the Spine with Scott Zack

Back pain, especially that of the lower back, can affect anyone at any given time – this includes children. In what is becoming an increasingly common problem, children are complaining of lower back pain and visiting chiropractors to seek relief more than ever before.

According to Scott Zack, a chiropractor with years’ of experience treating adults and children alike, the reason for this has to do with the improper use of ergonomic backpacks throughout schools.

Below we’ll take a look at some of the causes of this lower back pain and the various solutions available.

The Problem With Backpacks

While backpacks might look innocuous to most parents and children alike, they can pose a potentially hazardous health risk for the uninitiated. “Children have pretty weak backs compared to adults.” Scott Zack says. “And with that underdeveloped musculature comes a weak support system for dealing with heavy loads.”

The loads mentioned referring to numerous books and schooling paraphernalia, which, when packed into a backpack, can weigh upwards of 15kg.

The weight of backs is just the tip of the iceberg, however. The real problem has to do with weight distribution. Scott Zack says that backpacks are notoriously bad at distributing the weight evenly through the back.

In fact, most of the weight tends to gather at the bottom of the pack, creating a lower center of gravity and greatly increasing pressure on the spine and lower back.

Coupled with the fact that school children are wearing these packs for hours every day, this means that there is a persistent large weight bending the spine out of shape, dramatically increasing the chance of lower back injuries.

The Solution

While backpacks do pose a health problem for young learners, there are steps that can be taken to stop the problem before any lasting damage occurs.

Being aware that these type of problems exist is the first step. Being conscious of the amount of weight in a backpack is also advised, meaning that parents should be aware of how much weight their children are carrying at any one time.

If a child complains of back pain, it’s important that they see a professional right away to ensure that lasting damage in the muscles or spine does not occur.

Professionals such as Scott Zack offer chiropractic assistance for a number of ailments, the most commonly sought after of which is lower back pain. If in any doubt, contact a chiropractor today.