Tips for avoiding backpack injury By Peter Joffe, D.C. Are you sending your child off to school with a new backpack slung over his or her shoulder? If you are like most parents, a new backpack was on your child's back-to-school list. But you might want to think twice before sending your child to school with this backpack. New studies show a danger associated with backpack use. The latest research shows that more than 50 percent of children experience at last one low back pain episode before the end of their teen years. This research also states that improper use of backpacks may be a contributing factor. How does carrying a backpack affect the spine? Heavy loads that are distributed unevenly each day will cause stress to the growing spine. Carrying a heavy backpack over one shoulder every day may provoke serious postural misalignments. If left uncorrected, these misalignments can lead to neck pain, back pain and headaches. Also, improper carrying of backpacks can reduce mobility in spinal bones, causing restricted movement, which is another risk factor for back pain. Think carrying a backpack is no big deal? If your child carries a backpack containing just 15 pounds worth of books and lifts it 10 times a day for a 180-day school year, he or she will have lifted 27,000 pounds. That's about 9 tons your child will lift and carry in the course of the school year. As a parent, here is what you can do to prevent backpack-related injuries: 1. Make sure your child's backpack is sturdy and appropriately sized. 2. To help distribute the load, look for packs with padded shoulder straps and waist straps. 3. Make sure the weight of your child's backpack does not exceed 15 percent of his or her body weight. 4. Insist that your child never carry a backpack on one shoulder. Both shoulder straps as well as a waist strap should be used at all times. Once you have a proper backpack for your child, it is essential that he or she is trained on lifting the backpack safely. The correct way to life a backpack is to: 1. Face the backpack before you lift it. 2. Bend at the knees. 3. Using both hands, check the weight of the pack. 4. Lift with your legs, not your back. 5. Carefully slip on one shoulder strap at a time; never sling the pack onto the shoulder. Fortunately, there is a solution to this health-care crisis. Chiropractors, because of their extensive training in the spine, muscles and nervous system, are ideally suited to evaluate a child's spine and backpack safety techniques. As a prevention specialist, a chiropractor's goal is to educate children in the proper use of a backpack. If you are a parent, don't ignore this potential threat to your child's health. Dr. Peter Joffe will be demonstrating proper backpack usage at his office on Sept. 12 at 7 p.m. Joffe Family Chiropractic is located at 61 Pease Road in Manalapan. Parents are encouraged to bring their children with their backpacks. Seating is limited. Call (732) 536-9191 to reserve a seat.