Back to School Attack of the Backpack
The start of the school year is right around the corner and summer will be coming to an end. With this many of us have already started our back to school shopping and taking advantage of the sales. There is one item that I highly recommend not skimping on: your child’s backpack. Yes, sometimes they want fashion over function but their health and wellness is so much more important! There are stylish and functional “Chiropractor approved” backpacks out there, you just need to know what to look for.
The way you load and carry your backpack is also very important. If the straps aren’t adjusted right or the backpack is too heavy, this too can cause pain and dysfunction. Below is a quick guide to how to find a great backpack and how to carry it once your child makes sure that none of their friends will be carrying the same one on the first day.
- Choose a backpack that roughly fits the size of your child’s back. Too big will sag down to their buttocks.
- Find a backpack with padded shoulder straps that will evenly distribute the weight across their shoulders without digging in.
- Make sure they are wearing both straps over their shoulders. Carrying with just one strap at a time will cause an uneven weight distribution and muscle compensation.
- Weigh their backpack fully loaded with what they will most likely be carrying every day. It should be no more than 15% of their total body weight.
- Look for signs of an ill-fitting backpack: pain, red marks from straps, poor posture of arching their back or leaning forward to counter balance the heavy load.
If you have any questions about your child’s backpack or would like us to do a quick assessment, please call our office today!