Back-to-school time. A time for new shoes, new books, new haircuts, and for many students’… new backpacks. If you are the type of parent who allows your children free rein in the backpack aisle you may want to pay close attention to this blog. Before you empty your wallet paying for that adorable Dora the Explorer backpack or that radical new CARS backpack, ask yourself: “Am I getting what’s best for my child?”
I recently participated in a television news report about “Backpack Safety.” The story gave me the opportunity to speak with a local chiropractor who offered some valuable tips on how to find the “perfect” backpack for children under 12:
Problem: The “Average Backpack.” According to the doctor, the “average backpack” will not fit a child younger than 12 years old. Since the center of gravity is lower in shorter children, if a backpack is full (translation: heavy) the pressure is put on the child’s pelvis and not equally distributed to the shoulders and back.
Solution: To avoid your child having to roll her shoulders forward to support the weight of a heavy backpack, doctors recommend purchasing a backpack that’s smaller than the width of her back and doesn’t fall any lower than her waistline.
Problem: Backpacks That Weigh More Than The Child (ok that may be a slight exaggeration, but you get the idea). The American Chiropractic Association says a backpack should never weigh more than 10 to 15% of the child’s weight.
Solution: The chiropractor I worked with suggested that you put more of your child’s school supplies in her backpack’s outer pockets. He says, ideally, you want to disperse the weight so it’s not centralized at the very bottom of the backpack.
Problem: Sore shoulders
Solution: Doctors say always look for a bag with thick, adjustable straps — and make sure your kids use both of them so they’re not carrying all that weight on one side.
Look for more tips in “Finding The Perfect Backpack—Part 2.”