The Health Problems Caused By Heavy Weight Backpacks

Why Do You Need a Rolling Backpack and a Light Weight Backpack? Here is All You Need to Know!

If you are a frequent traveler or even a student, it is most likely that you carry a backpack. It is the easiest solution to carry that excess luggage or even the important items that you might need. Backpacks divide the weight on both the shoulders, and this way, you can carry more weight. Another great thing I like about backpacks is that they keep your hands free.

Backpacks come in different shapes and sizes, and the rolling backpacks and lightweight backpacks come top of the list. These two are preferred by people because their heavyweight backpacks are said to cause many health problems. A lot of them have been seen among teenagers and frequent travelers.

 

The Health Problems Caused By Heavy Weight Backpacks

In recent research by the U.S Consumer products and safety Commission, it was drawn out that each year 7,000 students are diagnosed with severe back pain due to heavy backpacks.  Some of the backpacks were even heavier than 45 pounds. Around 30 to 50 percent of people have back pain due to heavy backpacks. Some of the significant health problems caused by heavyweight backpacks are as follows: 

 

Slouched Shoulder

You must have seen that when you carry a heavyweight backpack, you automatically bend your shoulders to the front, and because of this, it becomes a habit. Even when you are not carrying a backpack, you tend to bend your shoulders, which results in permanently slouched shoulders.

 

Pain In Spine

Our back is made of 33 vertebrae, and each one of them has shock absorbers in them. They all join to form our spine. When you carry a backpack, due to the weight, your back tends to go backward, and to avoid that; you voluntarily move it forward. In all this process, you create a lot of stress on your back and resulting in pain in the spine.

 

Neck Pain

It is quite obvious that when your back muscles are stretched, it will create pressure on the neck resulting in neck pain.

 

Curved Back

Many travelers, students, or generally people who carry a backpack on a daily basis have a curved back. This is because they lean forward due to heavyweight. When the weight is balanced, one can walk properly.

 

How to Solve Those Problems?

The health problems caused by heavy backpack are seen quite common among children and adults. To solve this problem, the best solution for this is to reduce the weight you carry in the backpack or, if not, buy a rather lightweight backpack, which does not have much weight itself. Wheeled or rolling backpacks are also a great option to work towards. Let us have a look at how these two options can be a solution to this problem.

 

Rolling Backpack

Rolling backpacks are a great option when you are on the go or even for students. They have great space to accommodate all your supplies. So if you cannot reduce the weight inside the bag, why not have a rolling backpack rather than carrying it on your back. With the injuries caused by the heavy backpacks, it is suggested in schools that the students should prefer rolling backpacks.

 

How to Choose the Right Rolling Backpack?

Now the next crucial step is choosing the right rolling backpacks. There are many different types of rolling backpacks, but all of them are not good enough. The following are some things you should consider when choosing the right rolling backpack.

 

1. Make sure the wheels are of good quality so that you can walk with them to a longer distance without tripping over or having the wheels come off.
2. There should be compartment storage for a laptop and other things in it.
3. The rolling backpack is already heavy on its own, so there must be enough space to accommodate a lot of things in it.
4. The handle of the rolling backpack should come in and move out easily.
5. Moreover, if, in some cases, you have to carry the bag on your back, there should be pads at the back of it and on the straps so that it does not hurt your back.
6. Lastly, the material should be durable. Even more durable and long-lasting than the regular backpacks because you don’t want to replace it so soon when you have spent money on a rolling backpack.

 

Pros and Cons of Rolling Backpacks

Pros

Talking of the many benefits you get when you buy a rolling backpack, let’s have a look at them.

 

1. Rolling backpacks are very versatile. You can take them anywhere and use them for literally anything or any storage.
2. The most fantastic pro of all is that it gives your back a rest. You don't have to carry it on your back anymore. So long gone will be the days of slouched shoulders and back pain.
3. Rolling backpacks kind of classy in appearance when you carry them. It adds to your entire appearance.
4. They are great for airports and traveling because they are quite sturdy, so they will not rip easily, and you can carry them anywhere.

Cons

There are not as many cons, but to give you an honest opinion before you buy one, let us look at the cons of rolling backpacks.

 

1. When it comes to weight, rolling backpacks might not be ideal for you. Usually, the rolling backpacks are around 4~5 lbs without even putting anything inside it. So you might not be able to carry them on your back for too long.
2. Rolling backpacks are not good for trekking or places that are not plain because the wheels do not work on a bumpy surface. In that case, you will have to carry it, which will not serve its actual purpose.

 

Light Weight Backpack

The next best option is to go for lightweight backpacks. When you cannot reduce the load you carry, why not buy a bag that does not have much weight itself so that you can balance the weight by putting your supplies in it. The lightweight backpacks are made of the latex of other lightweight but stronger material. They are widely used by business commuters and university students.

 

How to Choose the Right Light Weight Backpack?

Many people can fool you with a lightweight backpack by giving you a low-quality bag. So consider the following things when buying a lightweight backpack.

 

1. A thumb rule when buying a lightweight backpack is that it must have the capacity to fit at least a laptop with some full-size notes and books in it.
2. As the lightweight backpack must not be weighing too much, you have to be very careful about the quality of the material it is made from. A very thin fabric that can rip it within days is not at all acceptable.
3. Lastly, make sure there are mesh side pockets or some other outer pockets to it so that you can fit in your smaller supplies as there will not be much space inside the bag.

 

Pros and Cons of Lightweight Backpack

Pros

The following are some of the most prominent pros of lightweight backpacks, which will make you instantly buy one.

 

1. Lightweight backpacks are easy to carry anywhere. They are quite handy. You can even take them to offices even because they look quite professional and office-like considering the size.
2. Usually, the lightweight backpacks are made of latex, which is a waterproof material.
3. You can actually fit in a lot of things in them considering the amount of compartment they have.
4. Lastly, even if you carry them all day long on your back, you will not feel backache or pain in the shoulders.

Cons

There are not many cons but a few risks that you need to look for. They are

 

1. Lightweight backpacks might rips when near sharp objects, so you need to take proper care of them.
2. Do not overstuff them; it will destroy the shape of the bag.

 

Other Solutions That Can Resolve Health Problems

These two are the main solutions to get rid of the heavyweight backpacks. There are other solutions to it as well. Some of the main solutions that can resolve health problems that are led by heavy backpacks are as follows:

 

1. Never carry your backpack on one shoulder; it puts weight on one shoulder and then leads to pain in it.
2. Try strengthening your core by exercising and yoga so that you can carry more weight on your back.
3. If you are a student, make the most of your locker and carry the necessary things in your bag.
4. Limit the weight you carry. It should not be more than ten to twenty percent of your body weight.

 

Conclusion

Backpacks were never a problem until the overweight backpacks started causing injuries in students. In that case, the best thing you can do is to shift to lightweight backpacks or rolling backpacks. Choose them wisely so that they can last you longer. Trust me to try buying it for yourself, and you will never regret this decision. I hope you found this blog helpful, and now you can easily choose one for yourself.