Backpacks have a huge impact on your child’s body during important years of physical development.  An overloaded, heavy backpack carried on one shoulder day after day for years can cause a lot of pain now, as well as long term issues. 

Even if your child is not in pain now, take notice of their posture while he/she is wearing a backpack.  If he/she is hunched forward and/or leaning to one side, the accumulation of this posture over the years can cause pain and issues later on in life.

Fortunately, there are several things you can do to help your child avoid this!

Pick a backpack that fits the size of your child.  Even young elementary kids can end up carrying heavy bags stuffed full of things.  The bigger the bag, the more ends up getting stored that is often not necessary.

A full backpack shouldn’t weigh more than 5-10% of your child’s weight.  Carrying around too much weight can cause pain and improper posture.  Make sure only the necessities are in being carried around. 

Pick a backpack with compartments and adjustable straps.  These two features help balance the contents better and fit the child properly.  Make sure the straps are adjusted so the backpack is not dangling down, pulling his/her back out of alignment.

Make sure the bag doesn’t hang too low.  The backpack shouldn’t hang more than 4 inches below the waistline.  If it does, the weight of the bag will cause your child to bend forward due to the weight and added pressure on his/her shoulders. If the shoulder straps are adjusted properly and it is still too low, the bag could be too big.

Use both shoulder straps. This is key to keeping the weight balanced on the back proportionately.  Otherwise, the back is twisted to accommodate the weight - this can cause pain now and doing this for years can cause long term problems.

If you have more questions, please ask me or anyone on my staff.  I feel this is incredibly important during your child’s development.  We will gladly help!

For more helpful information about backpacks, here is an article from the American Chiropractic Association: https://www.acatoday.org/Patients/Health-Wellness-Information/Backpack-Safety