Blog

Know Your Backpack Limits

As you begin to purchase back-to-school supplies for your children, it's important to know the health risks that are associated with a backpack that is too heavy.

The American Chiropractic Association recommends that your child’s backpack weigh no more than 10 percent of her or his weight. Other recommendations go as high as 15 percent of their weight. Overloaded backpacks can cause back and shoulder pain as well as poor posture in children. If it's not corrected, many of those problems can become chronic and cause your children problems when they become adults.

Here are some tips that will help decrease the risk of your child hurting their back.

• Encourage your child to pack light
• Organize the backpack to use all of its compartments, to help distribute the weight
• Pack heavier items closest to the centre of the back
• Go through the pack with your child weekly and remove unneeded items to keep things light
• Remind your child to ALWAYS use both shoulder straps. Slinging a backpack over one shoulder can strain muscles.

Via: KRQE News

Tweet

• Prev
• Next