Back to School: Choose the right backpack
It is essential to fit your child’s school backpack properly to avoid back, neck and shoulder strains.
Schoolchildren lug a lot of weight around in their backpacks. It is essential to fit your child’s school backpack properly to avoid back, neck and shoulder strains.
A properly fitted backpack sits at the curve of the child’s lower back. Avoid bags that sag lower than the hips. Although it seems more economical to let a child ‘grow into’ a backpack they can use for several years, it can cause weakened muscles and a stooped posture.
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Choose a backpack made from light material, such as canvas. Shoulder straps should be padded and adjusted to fit snugly. The pack should also be padded at the back and have a waist strap.
Discourage your child from slinging a backpack over one shoulder as this will increase the strain on the spine.
If your child has to carry more weight than they can comfortably cope with, consider a backpack on wheels. Pediatricians recommend that the backpack weigh no more than 10 to 20 percent of the child’s weight.
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