von Foerster, Marilyn Miller, PT, MA "BACKPACK SAFETY: AN OXYMORON"
As backpack use for school has become widespread, numerous articles and programs have
offered instruction and guidelines in "backpack safety". Nevertheless, the incidence of
backpack-related pain and injury continues to rise and has reached epidemic proportions. Click here to download the article.
Research
von Foerster, Marilyn Miller, PT, MA "Student
Test of Back-T-Pack." (2004)
We provided the BackTpack® to 40 middle-school
students between the ages of 11 and 14, and monitored their reports
of pain and postural changes compared with conventional backpack
use. Click here to view the study.
von Foerster, Marilyn Miller, PT, MA. "Our Kids,
Backpacks, and the Back Epidemic." Orthopaedic Practice. (2003)
15:34-39.
Harreby M, Neergarrd Ke, Hesselsoe G, et al.
"Are radiographic changes in the thoracic and lumbar spine of adolescents
risk factors for low back pain in adults?" Spine. (1995) 20:2298-2302.
Johnson J, King C. "Backpain prevalence
correlated with adolescent backpack use." Unpublished doctoral thesis.
Forest Grove, OR: Pacific University. (2003)
Lamar S, Yu B. "The effect of backpack
weight on forward trunk lean in school-age children: A two-dimentional
videographic analysis." Phys Ther Case Rep. (2000) 3 (1): 28-31.
Miller M, Medeiros J. "Recruitment of Internal
Oblique and Transversus Abdominis Muscles During the Eccentric Phase
of the Curl-Up Exercise." The Journal of the American Physical
Therapy Association (August 1987) 67(8).
Click here to view the study.
Pascoe DD, Pascoe DE, Wang YT, Shim D, Dim CK.
"Influence of carrying book bags on gait cycle and posture
of youths." Ergonomics. (1997) 40(6): 631-641.
Siambanes, David, DO, Martinez, Jason A, MA, Butler, Edgar
W., PhD and Haider, Thomas, MD. "Influence of School Backpacks
on Adolescent Back Pain." Pediatric Orthopedics (March/April 2004)
24:211-217
