I'm a high school student that has had severe and continuous back pain for 3 months now. Doing daily activities is difficult. The backpack for school makes it a lot worse. Not only do I have to carry school supplies around but also a bag with my diabetic supplies. The backpack gets very heavy. I've considered roller backpacks, but hallways at school are so crowded, i'd basically be carrying it and that would defy its purpose. Any suggestions? Going in for surgery to have it fixed, but pain keeps getting worse and still have awhile before surgery date. Any suggestions?
Substitution for backpack?
- Posted:
- 3+ months ago by Misty1231
- Topics:
- school, pain, student, back, backpack, activities, high school
Details:
Answers (3)
Hello :)
Backpacks are not great for back pain. I have a slipped disc in my lower back, which makes things difficult. I've lived with it for a couple years now so I've figured out a few things that help.
I'd recommend a satchel bag first of all. It sounds like getting rid of the bag all together isn't an option, given the diabetes medication needed. A satchel bag just goes over the shoulder, and puts less pressure on the back as there's no need to lean forward to compensate for the weight of the bag. After a while if the shoulder gets a bit of an ache, swap shoulders.
I find that being more active helps back pain. Initially it's more painful, but I benefit later on. I'm not sure what the issue is with your back, so I'd recommend seeing a doctor about that before making any significant changes.
For general pain in the back though, there could be a medium level painkiller that you can take to help get through the day. I find towards the afternoon mine starts becoming more painful, which is when I take some painkillers.
I've just signed up here so I'm not sure how things work, but feel free to message me if possible and I'll answer any questions you have about back pain. I've got a few years of experience figuring out what works best, I may be able to help.