Backpacks may lead to muscle strain

Students who have neck, back or jaw pain, headaches, muscle spasms, or arm numbness and tingling may only have to look over their shoulders to find the cause of the discomfort.

Heavy backpacks can cause muscular and skeletal problems.

Jim Barrett, a physical therapist at the University Health Center, said backpacks should not weigh more than 15 percent of a person's body weight.

"If you weigh 100 pounds, your backpack really shouldn't weigh more than 15 pounds," Barrett said.

If someone carries a heavy backpack frequently or for long periods of time, it can affect posture and create muscle imbalances, Barrett said. These problems can be corrected, but practicing prevention is better than trying to correct the problems later, he said.

Barrett recommended students use backpacks instead of satchels, decrease backpack weight by prioritizing what items are needed each day, carry a backpack using both straps, carry the load high on the back and pack heavier items closer to the body.

Brad Decker, massage therapy coordinator at the Campus Recreation Center, said when a person puts a backpack on one shoulder, the upper back and shoulder muscles tire and the muscles on the side of the back opposite the backpack tighten to keep the person from leaning to the side.

This tightening and fatigue in the back muscles can cause the spine to curve.

Because of muscle imbalances and possible spine curvature, Decker also recommended students carry backpacks on both shoulders. This keeps muscular imbalances from forming, he said.

However, even when carrying a backpack properly, there can be problems if a backpack is too heavy, Decker said.

A heavy backpack on both shoulders causes people to lean forward to keep from falling backward, then to lift their heads so they can see where they are going and keep balance. Front neck muscles tighten causing pain in the neck and shoulders.

There are also problems with other styles of bags. Decker said pull-along bags can cause muscle fatigue by putting repetitive stress on the same spot in the upper arm.

He said satchel-style bags should be carried over the neck and adjusted to different sides of the body to prevent fatigue.

To make bags lighter, Decker suggested bringing only books that will be needed in class and leaving others at home, in the car, or in a friend's room.

"If it feels too heavy, it probably is," Decker said.

Students chose the backpacks they use for a variety of reasons.

Philip Zach, a junior fine arts major, said he chose his satchel-style bag because it was more comfortable than a backpack, and it was cheap.

He doesn't carry much, just his sketchbooks and a Bible, he said. Zach said he doesn't usually experience discomfort from his backpack unless he is late for the bus and has to run.

Abdullah Mohammad, a computer science graduate student, said he carried a lot of books so he could have them if he needed to look something up while working in a computer lab.

"You never know when you'll need them for reference," he said. E-books, which Mohammad reads online, have helped minimize the number of books in his bag.

He only notices the strain when he walks a long distance with his backpack. When the muscle strain does bother him, he takes the backpack off and carries it a different way, he said.

Jolene Caldwell, a sophomore psychology major, uses a backpack with two straps. She tried the over-the-shoulder-style, but it put too much strain on one side, she said. She usually carries about three textbooks.

"I just take the ones I know I need. Sometimes I leave some in my car," she said.