Students will always have things to carry back and forth between home and school.   A backpack is a great way to do that, but if they’re too heavy, backpacks can lead to back pain.  Carrying a heavy backpack changes children’s posture, walking speed, step length and more.  Unsurprisingly, we also know that as students walk greater distances and become more fatigued, all of these changes get worse. That can set students up for neck pain, back pain, or other musculoskeletal issues. These changes start to occur when the backpack weight is around 10% of the student’s body weight. The consensus among experts is that students should not carry more than 15% of their body weight in a backpack. Carrying heavy loads appears common. Most surveys and research show that greater than half of students exceed the 15% recommendation.

Parents can’t control what their student needs for school, but there are a few ways to help reduce the load, and make sure carrying it is as easy as possible:

1. Plan ahead – Each night, go through the contents of the backpack and remove items not needed the next day. Likewise, make sure your student isn’t bringing things home that they won’t need that night.
2. Use your locker – Planning ahead can help remove extra weight between home and school. Using the locker can lighten the load during the school day. By making a few stops at their locker, students can avoid carrying extra loads around during the school day.
3. Pack right – Heavier items should be placed close to the student’s back and lighter items further away. This gives students mechanical advantage when carrying loads.
4. Wear it right – Using both shoulder straps, and front or hip straps if you have them helps distribute the load evenly. Backpacks should also be worn so that the bottom of the pack is even with the bottom of the low back. Packs worn too high or low exaggerate postural changes and can restrict movement.
5. Pick your pack – If you’re shopping for a new backpack, look for one with two straps rather than a single strap. A chest strap and hip belt can help distribute the load. The pack should also be sized appropriately – no longer than the student’s torso. If your student is having pain in their back, neck, or anywhere else, give your physical therapist a call today. They’ll be able to help!