|  A great backpack is without a doubt one of the most important back-to-school purchases you can invest in for your child this year. Chronic neck, shoulder and back conditions have become more prevalent and it is vital to teach children the essentials of proper posture and body mechanics to keep them structurally healthy and strong. Good habits are formulated young and decrease the incidence of stress and strain injuries.
Marketing drives sales, but keep in mind fit and function apart from cosmetic appeal when purchasing a backpack for your child. An appropriately fitting backpack requires two wide shoulder straps for symmetrical distribution of weight over the trunk. The use of a weight belt further minimizes stress to the neck and shoulders. Slinging a backpack over one shoulder or using a single strapped pack causes compensatory curvature of the spine because of the necessity for leaning to one side. This obliquity causes unnecessary strain to a child’s developing frame.
A load backpack should be no wider than a student’s torso and the straps adjusted so the length of the pack rests at hip level. Total weight of the backpack should not exceed 15% of the wearers body weight. Larger, heavier items should be placed closest to the child’s back. If an individual donning a loaded pack feels compelled to lean forward and finds it difficult to maintain erect posture with short or long-term wear, the backpack is obviously overloaded!
Backpacks are indeed the best method for transporting textbooks and other school essentials. Exercising a common sense approach to backpack purchase and fitting can effectively reduce the risk of repetitive strain in young people and in turn decrease the incidence of chronic injury into adulthood.
By Rhonda Bentson-Becanic, MPT
Murphy’s Corner Physical Therapy
Integrated Rehabilitation Group Inc. | 
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