A 2016 study on back pain caused by backpacks revealed two notable findings: Teen girls appear to experience more severe backpack-related pain compared to boys, and the time carrying the backpack—not the weight—is likely causing that pain.

The study covered 5,318 students aged 6 to 19 years. The researchers broke the student sample into three age groups: children, younger adolescents, and older adolescents.

The goal of the study was to understand the students’ backpack pain related to (1) how common and severe it is, (2) differences between males and females, and (3) predisposing factors.

Through a series of interviews, researchers discovered that more than 60 percent of the students had backpack-related pain. Researchers noticed a significant spike in pain reports in young and older adolescents compared to younger children, despite younger children carrying more weight in their backpacks. The researchers found that the length of time a bag was carried had more of an impact on pain, which contradicted many long-held beliefs that the weight of the backpack was the primary driver of pain. The key takeaway here is if you don’t need to carry your backpack, put it down. Wear it only when you’re traveling from one location to another. Mindlessly wearing your backpack could end up causing you pain.

The study also found girls had more frequent and intense pain compared with boys, and adolescent girls were found to be at greatest risk of experiencing severe pain. The researchers attribute this to a variety of factors, including female body structure, that warrant further exploration to determine why adolescent females perceive more severe back pain compared to their male counterparts.

Presented as a service to the community by: Union County Chiropractic Clinic, 110 Skyline Drive, Maynardville, TN (865) 992-7000 www.unioncountychiropractic.com.