The students of the Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) program at SwVCC recently joined with the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) to hold a school backpack "weigh-in" to encourage students at Riverview Elementary-Middle School in Buchanan County and the Richlands Elementary School in Tazewell County to "Lighten Up."
Last year over 500 events were held nationwide to educate children, parents, teachers, and communities about the serious health effects on children from backpacks that are too heavy or worn improperly. Occupational therapy practitioners advise a backpack strategy of Pack it Light, Wear it Right.
The SwVCC OTA students have held Backpack Awareness events for the last six years. These events consist of a “weigh-in” of students and their backpacks and an informational presentation that included demonstrations of how to properly pack and wear a backpack. Handouts and treat bags filled with school-related supplies were given to the students. In addition, fifteen new backpacks filled with notebooks and supplies and ten backpack awareness day t-shirts were given as door prizes this year at the participating schools.More than 40 million children in the United States carry school backpacks, and more than half of them may be carrying too much weight. Children carrying overloaded backpacks and improperly worn packs, according to U.S. and international studies, are likely to experience neck, shoulder, and back pain; adverse effects on posture and the developing spine; and compromised breathing and fatigue.
AOTA is encouraging school systems, parents, students and occupational therapy practitioners to reduce the risks from improper use of school backpacks in students of all ages. Strategies for loading and wearing backpacks properly include:
-Backpacks should weigh no more than 15% of body weight (15-pound pack on a 100-pound child)
-Load heaviest items closest to the child's back.
-Wear both shoulder straps for an evenly balanced load.
-Adjust shoulder and waist straps to distribute the burden more evenly along the child’s back.
-Suggest that teachers consider the total weight of each day’s assigned class work — not only in content, but also in terms of textbook weight.Businesses supporting the event this year included: Buchanan Therapy Services, Chad Coal Corporation, Doug Ratliff Tax Service, Tri-State Exhaust, Grundy National Bank, United Industrial Supply, Carter Machinery, KFC, Cargo Oil Company, Kidd Tire Auto Parts, Bank of Tazewell County, Pat Jackson, Comfort Inn, TruPoint Bank, and L & O Construction.
For more information about backpack awareness or the occupational therapy assistant program at Southwest Virginia Community College, please contact Annette Looney, OTA program director, at 276.935.7748 or 276.964.7643.