- ALLERGY, RESPIRATORY
- Folic Acid Might Offer Allergy Relief
- Obesity May Raise Kids' Allergy Risk
- Air Quality Better in Northeast, Midwest
- ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE
- Animals Respond to Acupuncture's Healing Touch
- Cranberries May Help Prevent Urinary Tract Infections
- Acupuncture, Real or Fake, Eases Back Pain
- ANIMAL CARE
- Beware of Dog Bites
- Animals Respond to Acupuncture's Healing Touch
- 'Comfort Dogs' Come to Emotional Rescue
- BONES & JOINTS
- Rheumatoid Arthritis Hits Women Harder
- Breast-feeding Might Shield Women From Rheumatoid Arthritis
- Majority of College Students Report Backpack-Related Pain
- CANCER
- To Quit Smoking, Try Logging On
- Scams and Shams That Prey on Cancer Patients
- Healthy Behaviors Slow Functional Decline After Cancer
- CAREGIVING
- Robots May Come to Aging Boomers' Rescue
- Tiniest Babies Carry Biggest Costs
- Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome as Deadly as Ever
- CIRCULATORY SYSTEM
- Obesity Linked to Heart Failure Risk
- Bad Marriages Harder on Women's Health
- Migraines in Pregnancy Boost Vascular Risks
- COSMETIC
- With Psoriasis, the Internet May Offer Hope
- Study Evaluates Laser Therapies for Hair Removal
- Science May Banish Bad Hair Days
- DENTAL, ORAL
- Holistic Dentistry-My View
- Toothbrushing May Stave Off Heart Woes
- Gum Disease Treatment Doesn't Cut Preterm Birth Risk
- DIABETES
- Study Shows Turmeric May Prevent Type 2 Diabetes
- Poor Blood Sugar Control After Heart Surgery Impacts Outcomes
- Saliva Test Could Monitor Type 2 Diabetes
- DIET, NUTRITION
- Antioxidants Abound in Cereals, Popcorn, Whole-Grain Snacks
- Iced Teas Pose High Risk of Kidney Stones
- 5 Reasons why you could gain weight while dieting
- DISABILITIES
- Review Finds Marijuana May Help MS Patients
- Could Your Cell Phone Help Shield You From Alzheimer's?
- ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH
- Ozone Pollution Taking Toll on American Lives
- Gas Cooking Might Up Your Cancer Risk
- Smog Standards Need Tightening, Activists Say
- EYE CARE, VISION
- Kids Who Spend More Time Outdoors Have Better Vision
- Omega-3 Foods May Lower Eye Disease Risk
- Thyroid Problems Boost Glaucoma Risk
- FITNESS
- Exercise Key Player in Knee Replacement Recovery
- Simple Exercise Precautions To Help Keep Baby Boomers Fit
- Avoiding a Holiday Season of Discontent
- GASTROINTESTINAL PROBLEMS
- Bowel Prep Harder on Women Than Men
- Soothing Imagery May Help Rid Some Kids of Stomach Pain
- New Yogurt May Ease Stomach Ulcers
- GENERAL HEALTH
- Asparagus May Ease Hangover
- The Juice From Beetroots May Boost Stamina
- Have a Goal in Life? You Might Live Longer
- HEAD & NECK
- Ski Helmets Encouraged for All
- Zen May Thicken Brain, Thwart Pain
- Many Children Will Outgrow Headaches
- HEALTH & TECHNOLOGY
- Study Suggests Link Between Cell Phones and Brain Tumors
- 'Comfort Dogs' Come to Emotional Rescue
- Airport Full Body Scanners Pose No Health Threat: Experts
- HEART & CARDIOVASCULAR
- Estrogen May Help Men's Hearts
- Shedding Light on Why Omega-3 Fatty Acids May Help the Heart
- Low Vitamin D Levels Linked to Heart Disease
- INFECTIOUS DISEASE
- Grapefruit Compound Inhibits Hepatitis C Virus
- The HPV Vaccine: Preventative Medicine or Human Sacrifice?
- Hand Washing 10 Times a Day May Help Keep Flu Away
- KID'S HEALTH
- Exercise Eases Obesity and Anger in Kids
- Family Medicine Cabinet Top Source Of Kid's Poisonings
- Most Depressed Teens Don't Get Treatment
- MEN'S HEALTH
- The Dark Side of Vegetarianism
- More Vitamin C May Mean Less Chance of Gout
- Exercise May Prevent Prostate Cancer: Study Shows
- MENTAL HEALTH
- Music Soothes Anxiety as Well as Massage Does
- Drink Away Dementia?
- Shop 'Til You Drop: You May Feel Better
- PREGNANCY
- Pre-Pregnancy Weight Linked to Babies' Heart Problems
- Sleeping Could Help Women Lose The Baby Fat
- Heart Defects in Newborns Linked to Antidepressants
- SENIORS
- Life Expectancy in U.S. Hits New High
- Mediterranean Diet Plus Exercise Lowers Alzheimer's Risk
- Seniors Cope With Sleep Loss Better Than Young Adults
Backpack Safety Should Be on Back-to-School Lists
By eHolistic.com Published: 09/10/2009
(HealthDay News) -- The start of a new school year means it's time to remind students and parents about proper selection and use of backpacks.
"When used correctly, backpacks are the most efficient way to carry a load and distribute the weight among some of the body's strongest muscles," Eric Wall, director of the orthopedic surgery division at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, said in a center news release.
However, improper use of backpacks can cause injuries that require medical treatment. For example, backpack-related injuries send almost 6,000 students to emergency departments each year, according to a U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission report released in 2002.
Wall and his colleagues in the division of orthopedic surgery offer guidelines to prevent school backpack-related injuries:
* When shopping for a backpack, select one that's lightweight, has two wide and padded shoulder straps, a cushioned back, and waist straps. A pack with wheels may be a good option if your child has to lug a very heavy load.
* Children should always use both shoulder straps, and the straps should be cinched tight.
* Limit backpack loads to no more than 15 percent to 20 percent of a child's body weight.
* The heaviest items should be packed closest to the center of a child's back.
* Children shouldn't carry all of their books throughout the school day. They should keep their books in their locker and get them when they need them.
* When wearing or lifting a heavy backpack, children should bend using both knees.
* Don't leave backpacks on the floor where people can trip on them, and don't swing a pack around where it can hit other people.
* If your child uses a backpack and complains of persistent back pain, consult with a pediatrician.
More information
The Nemours Foundation has more about backpack safety.
-- Robert Preidt
SOURCE: Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, news release, Aug. 6, 2008
Last Updated: Aug. 17, 2008
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