Weight Limit 10%: Make sure your child's backpack weighs no more than 10% of his or her body weight, and aim for only 5%. Ten percent is 10 pounds for a 100-pound child, 6 pounds for a 60-pound child, etc. Five percent is 5 pounds for a 100-pound child, 3 pounds for a 60-pound child. Your child will tend to lean forward as his or her backpack gets heavier. This is bad walking posture.
Good Walking Posture
Don't Wear it Too Low: The backpack should never hang more than 4 inches below the waistline. A too-low backpack will also cause your child to lean forward when walking.
Walking Mistake: Leaning Forward
Balance the Load: Where you put the heavy stuff in the backpack makes a difference. The heavy items should be in the big compartment close to the body, where their weight won't cause as much of a shift of center of body mass. Also pointy objects or those with sharp corners should be facing away from the back.
Bigger is Not Necessarily Better: The best way to ensure your child doesn't carry too much is to give them a smaller pack.
Use Both Shoulder Straps: One of the biggest mistakes people make is slinging a bag over one shoulder rather than using both straps. This convenience puts more strain on one side of the body, which can lead to neck and low back pain. If you notice your child just won't use both straps, then switch to a sling bag designed to be carried with just one strap. A sling bag will be better engineered for one-strap carrying than using a two-strap bag in the wrong way.
Wide, Padded Straps are Important: Don't go cheap on the straps. Padded straps are worth the extra price for comfort.
Adjust the Straps: Adjust the straps so the bag doesn't hang too low (no more than 4 inches below the waistline) and fits to your child's body.
Talk to the Teacher About the Book Load: Books weigh a lot. If you can minimize the books that need to be taken back and forth to school, it will help lighten the backpack weight. If you can't meet the 10% weight limit, talk to the teacher. Ask if the heavier books can be left at school, or if a set of books to be left at home. Ask the teacher about reading time provided at school and whether your child is taking full advantage of it, or he is waiting to read at home.
Top Picks for School and Work Backpacks
Source: Press Release, American Chiropractic Association, 2004. See similar information: Backpack Misuse Leads to Chronic Back Pain
