Backpacks and back pain

It is that time of year again! Back to school shopping, crossing guards and school zones only mean one thing. There will be thousands of tiny people walking around a community near you. Right now many kids have geared up for another school year. There are so many concerns for parents as they prepare and watch their kids advance for the next year of their life. One concern that can be overlooked is that these little developing bodies tend to become overstressed by the weight of their backpack.

Using a backpack is necessary for students, since it allows them to safely carry more books and goodies than the arms and hands can handle. But, the risk is overload on the child's body and this can cause a significant amount of damage to a young developing spine.

Small children are not the only ones at risk. High school and college students are required to carry much more in their backpacks in comparison to young children in lower grades. In addition, they oftentimes have to travel further distances with this considerable load. Older students are at a higher risk of spine damage. What kind of damage? Back pain, hip pain, muscle weakness and in younger students, scoliosis.

"Our hope is to raise awareness to this problem so we can protect our young ones from potentially suffering from chronic back pain and permanently damaging their spines," said Zach Norling, Physical Therapy at Pinnacle Physical Therapy.

With the goal of preventing this damage to student's backs, Pinnacle Physical Therapy will be offering FREE BACKPACK ASSESSMENTS during the month of September. Call (208) 777-4242 for Post Falls or (208) 665-2000 for Coeur d'Alene and schedule a free appointment. A physical therapist will evaluate your student's backpack and provide education and information to protect your child.