Avoid Back-to-school Backpack Pain

With all the excitement of packing new books, stationary, yummy lunches and super show and tell items we can forget one of the more important back to school accessories... the backpack!

We need to look after growing bodies and make sure that we are preventing strains the best we can. Too heavy or ill fitted backpacks are often the source of neck and back pain, but there are simple tips to look for when purchasing a new bag:

• Two wide shoulder straps to help disperse the weight evenly -the two straps must also be worn!
• Choose a bag that is close fitting to the body -look for a bag that fits just above the hips and below the shoulders and is no wider than the chest.
• Waist and chest straps are helpful to transfer some of the weight from the lumbar spine to the pelvis.
• Choose padding around the lower back to ease the pressure from pokey objects!

Ensure that the bag isn't too heavy and only has what is needed for the day. Once the bag is packed it shouldn't weigh more than 10% of the child's weight. These tips from our Physiotherapy team will go a long way in preventing injury and pain.