I don’t know why this topic is always least discussed between teachers and parents. We do have a lot of concerns regarding children’s academics but we often forget to discuss their health. We don’t only mean mental health, physical health matters too. Have you ever tried holding your children’s school bags? Are you aware of how heavy it is? Or are you concerned about the effects of carrying a heavy bag on one shoulder? We are assuming with facts that none of their questions have crossed your mind.
We want our readers who are also parents to just once try to pick your children’s backpack off ground, you will be shocked by how much it weighed! With all the mental stress and tension, the least needed is the physical burden. If we try to sum up then the effects of carrying a heavy bag on one shoulder in severe cases will cost your children severe injury and fractures.
Back and shoulder pain that initiates as an effect of carrying a heavy bag on one shoulder can be problematic. It is usually the result of poor knowledge and wrong working habits. It’s factual that usually, we don’t give importance to choosing backpacks in general. But this guide is a clear reality of what we are doing wrong, what problems it leads to, and how to prevent or reduce it.
Why is your backpack hurting you?
Just think of all the stationery and books they have to carry every day, no doubt they are pretty heavy and add weight instantly. Most children have no clue how to properly carry their bags because they aren’t aware of the effects of carrying a heavy bag on one shoulder. Some of them are mentioned below:
- Shoulder pain
- Lower back pain
- Muscle stiffness
- Cause lumbar asymmetry
- Spinal joints and rib cage strain
- Spinal misalignment
- Bone and muscle downard
- Headache
- Poor posture
- Spinal injuries
From getting mild to severe pain to misalignment of your spinal cords, the effects of carrying a heavy bag on one shoulder in some cases will cause long-term problems if not addressed properly. What’s important is that you get small hints and don’t take long to get proper health care, individual advice and change things quickly to [revet any big trouble.
Effects of carrying a heavy bag on one shoulder
Parents need to discuss with children and tell them the perfect ways of carrying backpacks. The children not only need awareness but also they must know the right ways of carrying it. If not treated timely, the effects of carrying a heavy bag on one shoulder can be drastic and may lead to lifetime injury.
Lower back, Shoulder, and headache pain are very common effects of carrying a heavy bag on one shoulder. Even convenient normal-size bags sometimes cause a big problem. Frequently carrying a backpack will cause gradual shifting of your backbone alignment, compress your nerves and result in stiffness and fracture.
- Stress on one side
- No proper weight distribution
- Affecting heavy gait
- Stiffness on muscle
You might be wondering how heavy a backpack should be. How will you know if the backpack you are carrying is good for you or not? Or what an ideal backpack looks like? Right? Then continue reading the guide and you’ll get answers to everything in your mind.
How do I know if I have a problem with my backpack?
If you are struggling in any of the following mentioned acts then you are carrying our backpack in the wrong way. Effects of carrying a heavy bag on one shoulder are common but can easily be treated if packed lightly or carried differently.
- If you are struggling to put your backpack on or off it your shoulder
- Or, you have to learn a lot forward to picking your bag up
- Or, you find it difficult when the backpack is hanging on your shoulder.
Sometimes children are using a bag that doesn’t have space to carry all their belongings but they stuff it inside. This makes it heavier and causes problems. We recommend parents to always buy backpacks with extra space in corners so it doesn’t burden them.
How heavy is too heavy for a child?
Have you ever thought about how heavy a backpack is too heavy for your kids to carry? We assume not, right? You’ll be thrilled to know that the weight of a backpack varies with individual weight. According to authorities, the backpack should weigh less than 10-20% of the child’s body weight. The authorities emphasize allowing the lightest possible bag to carry. The lighter the backpack is, the healthier it is for your child.
The effects of carrying a heavy bag on one shoulder are more terrible for short heightened and overweight or obese people. Relatively they are more affected by back and shoulder pain. It is good to choose a backpack that looks cool and suits your personality but it is also important to aim for lighter-weight bags. Already your children will carry heavy books and stationery, at least they deserve to have a backpack lighter in weight.
How to lessen the effects of carrying a heavy bag on one shoulder
- Switch the sides: It is important to consciously change your backpack position. This will equalize the pressure on both shoulders and avoid muscle strains All together this will reduce the pain and fatigue.
- Reduces the load: The first step to resolving any effects of carrying a heavy bag on one shoulder is to reduce the load. The lighter the weight, the easier it is to carry. For students, the authorities highly recommend carrying weight as lightly as possible.
- Choose the right straps: The right kind of backpack straps will compress the shoulder joint to extend it to reduce inflammation and ease the pain. Choose the right padded straps as it eases the shoulder pain and allows the injuries to heal quickly.
- Carry bag properly: Among multiple reasons for shoulder and back pain, carrying a backpack wrong; tops the list. We don’t bother to understand the importance of the right ways to carry a bag because we are ot aware of its outcomes.
- Strengthen the core: Lastly but most importantly your own health matters the most. If you are strong enough then you can never get affected by carrying heavy bags.
Tips on how to properly carry a backpack
Backpacks are recommended for other options, but they have their cons. When you don’t carry your backpack the right way, it will cause stiffness and pain around your body. Heavy bags will cause backward pull and this is very serious for your spinal cord. It compresses your neck, burdens your shoulder muscles, and increases tension in surrounding areas. To decrease the effects of carrying a heavy bag, we have mentioned a few tips below:
- Never add more weight than 10% of your body weight.
- Always change sides sometimes, this will help in equalizing the pressure on both shoulders.
- Choose the right size bag with enough space to handle all the weight.
- A backpack not wider and longer than you is best
- Get a backpack with cushioned straps
- Always tightens the straps enough that it sits with your spine
What kind of backpack is good for your back
Picking the right type of backpack will surely reduce the pain in your shoulder and back. There are multiple types of backpacks, what is best is what offers your back muscles protection. People usually don’t bother to take back pain into consideration while choosing backpacks. Whereas, you need a backpack with protective guards, that also help you to maintain good posture. By ensuring to get your hand on such backpacks you surely can decrease the effects of heavy bags on the body.
The guide has been written for people who are facing poor posture and bad handling effects of heavy bags. Look for options that provide you extra support to your back and relax your shoulder while long-term carrying. If your backpack causes pain then this article is your chance to take hints and choose a backpack that supports your back.
How to choose the right backpack?
It is very important to consider the need of having the right backpack. Choosing a backpack considering the following points will eventually help in reducing the effects of heavy bags. A backpack must provide support and reduce the burden. Below are a few of the tips you should keep in mind before you select a backpack to prevent pain, stiffness, and injuries.
- Functionality comes before fashion always
- Comfort is an ultimate key
- Supportive pads surrounding straps
- Evenly separates compartments
- The size of the backpack matters the most
- Backpacks with wheels offer great support
- The lighter the bag, the healthier the kid
Some of the best backpacks for your back
Final Verdict
Backpacks are by far the most convenient option but it has their cons too. The effects of carrying a heavy backpack on your shoulder are drastic If you carry it for a longer time. The above guide is all about the wings we do and the rights we should opt for. Knowing the right posture and knowledge of how to choose the right backpack is important and our above guide is all about it. We know you can’t restrict them to lighter the inside weight of stationary and books so we recommend parents to make children realize the importance of carrying it right. It might not seem a problem to many of them now but sooner or later they will face a problem.