

Be aware of the signs of back pain.
Kids can be very active and can find different ways to hurt themselves when roughhousing, etc. When trying to determine if issues may be stemming from the use of a backpack, consider the following:
- Tingling or numbness in their neck and back
- Red marks on their shoulders
- Changing posture when wearing a backpack
- Struggling to put it on or take it off
These are all signs that the backpack is too heavy. A child’s backpack should not weigh more than 15 percent of their body weight to prevent back pain.
Realizing that most kids are required to bring all books every day, consider contacting the school to see if the load can be lessened by only bringing individual books on specific days.
Choose the right backpack for your child.
To ease the weight off your child’s shoulders, select a backpack with the following:
- Made of lightweight material
- Two padded, adjustable shoulder straps that are at least 2 inches wide
- Individual compartments to allow for the distribution of weight