Don't Make
Your Kid a Backpack Beast of Burden

The top of the shoulder, where the straps of a backpack distribute the weight of the load, is an area rich in nerves and blood vessels that serve much of the rest of the body--arms and hands, neck, back, and head.  Carrying excessive weight in a backpack can lead to a number of health problems for your child.

Occupational therapists recommend that, when it comes to kids and backpacks, comfort, fit, and weight make a big difference.  A child should wear both straps of the backpack to equalize the weight and prevent shoulder, neck and back problems.  The straps should be paded.

It is also very important that the weight of the backpack not exceed 10% of the child's body weight (a 50 pound child should carry a backpack weighing no more than 5 pounds.)

Tips for Wearing Backpacks:

• If the backpack is to heavy, remove some books and carry them cradled in the arms or against the stomach.
• Wear both straps of the backpack.
• Wear backpacks with padded shoulder straps and a waist belt; fasten the waist belt.
• Adjust the straps so the backpack sits on the hips and pelvic area, not at the top of the back or at the buttocks.
• Keep the weight of the backpack close to the body.  Arrange the heaviest items close to the back.
• Use a backpack with wheels or place the backpack on a luggage cart.
• If your child already has back problems, ask the school to issue a second set of books that can stay at home.

Alarm Signals:

• Aching in the shoulders, neck, or back.
• Pain or tingling in the arms, wrists and hands, especially at night
• Muscle weakness
• Red marks and creases on the shoulder
• Struggling to get the backpack on and off
• Noticeable imbalances in the child's posture, including tilting the head and neck to one side and an uneven gait