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Tips on Backpack Safety for Students

Follow these four rules to ensure that a backpack does not harm your child’s spinal development and posture.

  1. Choose the right backpack.
Look for backpacks with heavily padded shoulder straps that don’t hang too low down the back and ideally have a waist strap. Avoid packs or bags with a single strap.
 
  1. Don’t overload the backpack.
If the loaded backpack causes the child to lean forward, it’s too heavy. This stresses the spine, which can lead to a lifetime of health problems.
 
For elementary school children, a backpack should weigh no more than 10 percent of a child’s body weight. This means that a child weighing 50 pounds should not carry more than 5 pounds.
 
For pre-teens and teens, a backpack should weigh no more than 20 percent of body weight. This means that a 100-pound teen should not carry more than 20 pounds.
 
Make sure to put heavier items at the top of the backpack closest to the body. This allows the child’s legs to help support the weight.
 
  1. Lift it properly.
Face the backpack. Bend at the knees. Use both hands and check the weight of the pack. Lift with the legs. Apply one shoulder strap and then the other.
 
  1. Carry it the right way.
Use both shoulder straps. This means one strap over each shoulder. This keeps the backpack close to the body and distributes its weight evenly across the back and shoulders. Use the waist strap, too, to distribute some of the weight to the pelvis and hips.
 

Information provided by Integrative Chiropractic a member of the WellnessOne Alliance

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