No back loads

1998/11/01 Agirre, Jabier - Medikua eta OEEko kidea Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Osasuna

Children already complain, every day from home to school and back home, as they have to transport many kilos from school to home in the backpack (books, notebooks, etc. ). ). And although the spine is very suffered and apparently does not complain, it gradually deteriorates, appearing back pain.

It is true that back pains will not kill anyone, and on the other hand it is known that most of us have had such pains ever. That is why they pass as imperceptible enough, and most end up. But in some cases the discomfort is usually very strong and almost constant, so our life is altered.

As is obvious, prevention should begin before our body suffers so that back pain does not occur. But the difficulty is there, because if you do not notice pain, inappropriate habits or postures go unnoticed, and by when the pain appears, it is a sign that something works wrong, or that we force a part of our body to an effort that is not prepared. Look!

About backpacks

If from childhood we learn the rules to protect our back, this important part of our body will be more affected by the passage of time. Children are of growing age, so they have special sensitivity to diseases and back disorders. In childhood or adolescence they begin to give their first symptoms, so it is important to extend the prevention of postural hygiene in schools that carry out primary education, that is, to teach appropriate postures and attitudes.

Taking a proper stance, both at home and at school, is essential. We will make sure that the little ones sit without bending the spine and that they also sit with their backs resting on the chair or armchair.

Dr. Eliseo Pascual, head of the rheumatology department at the General University Hospital of Alicante, recommends physical exercise. "If we don't sit the child properly, we should get him to be at least in the right physical form. If you exercise and have good muscles, your back will better support those inadequate postures."

But more than inadequate postures, for children is on the floor they must carry the main enemy from the back. "Backpacks are beneficial," says Dr. Carlos Algora, who runs the Barcelona Back unit, "because they prevent it from loading more than one side of the body than the other, but you have to carry them well placed, that is, on both shoulders and never hanging on one side.

Another important point is that the child's burden should not exceed 10% of his weight." This means, for example, that if the child weighs 35 kilos, he should never carry more than 3.5 kg in the backpack. From there, the capabilities of the spine are being forced to endanger different diseases (clumps, muscle problems, scoliosis, or spine deviations).

But carrying the backpack badly and with too much weight, in addition to the back, can cause hip and foot problems if the wrong posture is maintained for a long time. When the weight in the backpack is excessive you can use trolleys or trolleys for purchase, because so the child will have the back free of loads. But you have to carry the car ahead, pushing the children and not dragging because carrying pulling from behind can cause pain in cervical, shoulders and even back.

Prevention in adults

Adults don't worry too much about the spine unless we have pain, and yet we depend on it for anything. However, some tips to follow when taking weights or charges are:

• When you have to pick up something heavy from the floor, do not bend your back. Bending your knees while keeping your back straight and your head upright.
• If you have to carry the weight, take it with both hands and weight as close as possible to the body and take it to the height of the chest. If necessary, bend slightly softening the back, never forward.
• If the object is too heavy for you, ask for help and don't try to carry it alone.
• The lady of the house should carry the purchases in cart or cart, or equally divided between the two arms, so as not to carry more than one arm. In this case the total charge should not exceed 10% of the person.
• It is preferable to make the purchase two or three times a week and carry less weight in each turn, than not being able to carry a weight in a single turn.

All of the above has been around loads or loads that you should take periodically, but there is another charge that your body, and especially the spine, must constantly bear: your weight. According to rheumatologist Eliseo Pascual, “women (and we must not forget that this type of pain occurs more in women, perhaps because of the constitution or composition of their skeleton), if they have problems of obesity, we could almost certainly say that in the long run they will have problems of back or knees. They often overweight 10-20 kilos, which means carrying an empty butane cylinder all day long. This overweight can have very serious consequences over time. If they also don’t exercise, nor is the musculature in good condition, their bones will hardly endure for a long time.”

Ideal backpack

* The weight of the backpack will not exceed 10% of the child's weight. * The heaviest objects (books, dictionaries, etc.) will be placed vertically and as close as possible to the back.

* Backpack straps should be wide and lean on both shoulders, both at the same height or level.

* The best backpacks are those with hard backrest and side shafts.