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Backpack Safety is Back-to-School Issue
Chiropractic Research
 Concern over children and their backpacks continues to grow. An article appearing in the The Times Herald features this problem by noting "Trudging their way around the school campus or to the bus stop, hunched-over kids could be dealing themselves a lifetime of back pain, experts warn." The US Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates that 6,512 emergency room visits each year result from injuries related to book bags. CPSC also cites the statistic that backpack-related injuries are up 256 percent since 1996. The issue has become so widespread, that the California State Assembly passed legislation that forces school districts to develop ways of reducing the weight of students' backpacks. Other states are also considering similar legislation. In an online survey conducted last year of more than 200 chiropractors responding from across North America at www.backpacksafe.com, it was learned that: 89 percent of chiropractors surveyed responded that they have seen patients (ages 5-18) reporting back, neck or shoulder pain caused by heavy backpacks.
71 percent of chiropractors presently seeing such patients responded that they are currently seeing one to four patients (ages 5-18) reporting back, neck or shoulder pain caused by heavy backpacks.
20 percent of chiropractors presently seeing such patients responded that they are currently seeing five to nine patients (ages 5-18) reporting back, neck or shoulder pain caused by heavy backpacks.
9 percent of chiropractors presently seeing such patients responded that they are currently seeing 10 or more patients (ages 5-18) due to back, neck or shoulder caused by heavy backpacks.
The American Chiropractic Association has offered the following tips to help prevent backpack problems in school children. Those tips include: Make sure your child's backpack weighs no more than 5 to 10 percent of his or her body weight.
The backpack should never hang more than four inches below the waistline.
Urge your child to wear both shoulder straps, and wide, padded straps are very important.
The shoulder straps should be adjustable so the backpack can be fitted to your child's body.
The over-packing of backpacks was featured in a recent study conducted in Italy. In this study it was found that the average child carries a backpack that would be the equivalent of a 39-pound burden for a 176-pound man, or a 29-pound load for a 132-pound woman.
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My office offers individualized care for my patients. I am devoted to providing each patient with excellent chiropractic care with a personal touch. I specialize in making HOUSE CALLS. I make HOUSE CALLS in Morris, Sussex, Warren, Passaic, Essex, Bergen, Hudson and Union and Counties at present. I am licensed in the State of New Jersey and the State of Florida. Since 1969 I have been involved in managing my practice and also managing the practices of friends of mine in the States of Florida and New Jersey. I have experience in managing an office that is a straight chiropractic office seeing up to 300 patients per day to managing an office that performs numerous therapies to managing an office that had 3 medical doctors with a staff of 10 people working for me. Through my experience I know I can pick the proper therapy that I believe a patient may need rather than using the same treatment on everyone. I was fortunite to be able to attend the First Independent Presidents Chiropractic Congress in Washington, D.C.. I am Past Secretary, President and Executive Director of Beta Omega Chi Chiropractic Fraternity; Past Secretary of the Alumni Association of New York Chiropractic College and member of the Board Of Directors; Past Coordinator of Student Activities of New York Chiropractic College; Past Treasurer, Secretary ,Vice President and President of the Northern Counties Chiropractic Society; Past Coordinator for Council on Scoliosis Screening for Morris, Sussex, Warren & Hunterdon Counties; Past member of the Public Relations Team of the New Jersey Chiropractic Society and was on the Legislative Team of the New Jersey Chiropractic Society which made it possible for Chiropractors to be included in Blue Cross Blue Shield in New Jersey. Since I graduated from Columbia Institute of Chiropractic I have taken,yearly, post graduated courses from New York Chiropractic College, Los Angeles College of Chiropractic, Parker Chiropractic College, Life Chiropractic College, New Jersey Chiropractic Society and the Florida Chiropractic Association. Shortly I will also be associated with a practice in Florida and in Bergen County, New Jersey.
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