Does wearing a backpack really put you at risk for injury?
That is the question MTV and Boston University professor Karen Jacobs tried to answer on an episode of the network’s new series, ‘Big Urban Myths.’
The series, which premiered Feb. 18, spotlights urban legends like ‘sneezing causes blindness,’ ‘Tupac lives’ and ‘rice at weddings kills birds,’ and tries to prove whether the myth is accurate or totally bunk.
Jacobs, a professor at Sargent College of Health and Rehabilitation Services, was the featured expert on the backpack topic, which aired Mar. 11. MTV, looking for someone like her, contacted the American Occupational Therapy Association. As the most recent former president of the organization, Jacobs got the call from the AOTA and phoned MTV.
‘We’re one of the leaders in the country in promoting safety with backpacks and children,’ Jacobs said, referring to the AOTA.
Jacobs herself has been ‘very active’ in dealing with children’s backpack issues, she said.
MTV considered flying Jacobs to California for taping, she said, but decided to hire a Boston camera crew and conduct the interview via speakerphone.
The MTV appearance was not the first time Jacobs had been on television.
‘I’ve been on 20/20,’ she said. ‘But I think [my students] think this is even more cool.’
Additionally, she said MTV differs somewhat from ABC, the station that airs 20/20.
‘It’ll be interesting to be in a different, less formal setting,’ Jacobs said before the appearance. ‘It’ll be my first time watching MTV, so I don’t know what to expect.’
Along with Jacobs’ students and the professor herself, Jacobs’ three children, ages 16 to 30, tuned into the show. Her son Joshua, who is 18, is a freshman at BU this year.
‘My two younger ones are MTV fans,’ Jacobs said, adding that she hoped it would not be ‘too uncool’ for Mom to appear on the network.
SAR spokesperson Mary O’Hara described the format of the show, which usually includes one expert for each issue, she said.
‘They do five or six different myths in each show,’ O’Hara said. ‘They usually have kids on; one saying [the myth] is true, and one saying it’s false. The expert is the final word though.’
Jacobs, being the expert, revealed that backpacks are indeed harmful if not used properly, she said.
‘If you look at bus stops, [the kids] look like turtles,’ she said. ‘And if you push them, their center of gravity is off.’
Jacobs stressed three points in preventing health issues with backpacks: ‘selecting, packing and wearing properly.’
The selection process should be monitored by parents, Jacobs said.
‘A lot of kids pick ones with superheroes,’ Jacobs said, ‘when they aren’t the right size.’
Packing too much into a backpack should also be avoided.
‘In middle school, they should only be taking things they need,’ Jacobs said. ‘Not toys, or enough water to survive on a desert island, or extra sports equipment.’
Fashion is one reason students do not wear backpacks correctly, according to Jacobs.
‘If we got the captain of a football team at some high school to wear his or her backpack correctly and say it’s cool, we’ll see [other] kids doing that,’ Jacobs said.
Jacobs also does research about children and teens spending more time on computers. She said computers can be dangerous if not used properly, and she wants to spread this knowledge.
‘I hope MTV will be interested in doing a story on my research with computers,’ Jacobs said. ‘We’re going to pitch it to them.’
Jacobs said she enjoyed the experience and summed everything up with one brief sentence: ‘I love being on television.’
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