Suppose you wear a backpack regularly, whether, for school or work, it may be placing unnecessary strain on your back. In theory, bags are supposed to distribute weight among the end equally. Unfortunately, many backpacks are not sized or used correctly, causing severe lower and middle back pain. Here are our tips on preventing back pain caused by backpacks. If you have recently experienced onset pain, we at Celebration Orthopedics offer the best care for our Celebration residents.
Our Tips For Properly Wearing A Backpack
If you’ve over packed your backpack with heavy books, there’s a chance it is straining your back muscles. Incorrect backpack wearing can cause posture problems. We recommend that you wear your backpack correctly as so by use backpacks with two padded straps that will help distribute the weight.
Choosing The Right Bag
When choosing a backpack, you want one that offers support and is the appropriate size. We recommend looking for these features:
- Two wide padded shoulder straps
- Support and built-in the back padding
- A strap to go around your waist
- A lightweight backpack
- A bag with wheels
There are many ways you could injure yourself while wearing a backpack. To avoid injury, always wear shoulder straps when carrying the bag and tighten the belts to bring the weight closer to your back. Ensure that the heaviest items are low and towards the center of the bag, so it is not putting extra strain on your shoulders. The way you lift your bag is imperative! Bend at the knees and lift the bag with legs, not the back.
What To Do If You’re In Pain
We encourage all our patients to listen to their bodies and tell their doctors about any numbness, tingling, or discomfort in the arms or legs, as these symptoms can be from improper backpack use. Suppose middle back pain does occur while wearing your backpack; attempt to loosen the weight and see if it helps. An alternative is a crossbody bag to alleviate back pain, although you should be wary of cross bodies if you have frequent shoulder pain.
If at-home remedies for back pain don’t subside, there may be a more severe problem. We advise that you call your local Celebration pain specialists at Celebration Orthopedics.
We’ll Help You With Your Pain.
As the year comes to a close, students have been back at school for a few months and may start to feel some discomfort from the improper use of a backpack. If you suffer from low or middle back pain and wear a backpack regularly, there is probably a correlation. Being a student is already hard enough as it is; add back problems into the mix, and you’ll be even more stressed! We at Celebration Orthopedics understand the stress of balancing everything right now, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take care of yourself and your pain. Save yourself the problem and give us a call today.