Back Pains Caused by a Heavy Backpack
Introducing a backpack causes a force to be placed backwards of the body, our body then counters this force by bending forwards at the neck. This happens to help us maintain balance. While doing so stops us from falling over; maintaining such a position in space could often lead to excessive muscle tightness, neck joint pain and cervicogenic headaches. The forwards head position adds additional compression loading due to the increase weight of the head (think of a see-saw).
Some Muscles Work Overtime
The muscles mainly affected when carrying a backpack are Upper Trapezius, Sternocleidomastoid, Mid Cervical Paraspinals. These muscles are activated by a huge degree with backpack usage. While this may be ‘normal’ and non problematic in healthy use of a backpack – the muscles highlighted above may potentially cause pain, dysfunction and headaches when overactive and imbalanced.
For more information by Wayne Sun contact us at Perth Wellness Centre
KIM MH, YI CH, KWON OY, CHO SH, & YOO WG. (2008). Changes in neck muscle electromyography and forward head posture of children when carrying schoolbags. Ergonomics. 51, 890-901.
Related Posts
Korean-Fluent Chiropractor West Perth
Many people in the area suffer from various types of body aches and pain that seem to be challenging to treat effectively. Over time, this sort of ongoing pain can truly limit a person's overall health and inner well-being. While there are prescription medications often used to treat serious pain…
0 Comments3 Minutes
Tips on Managing Allergies in Perth, Australia
An allergic reaction is, in essence, your body's way of reacting to a potentially dangerous foreign unknown invader in the only way it knows how to. When your body encounters a potential threat in the form of an allergen most commonly, certain types of food
0 Comments8 Minutes
English
Chinese (Simplified)
Italian
Japanese
Korean
Persian