School-age kids are back at their desks and, for many, backpacks still carry their share of the class load. An improperly fitted or overloaded backpack can contribute to pain and poor posture. Physical therapist Jenny Chang shares what parents and students should know about choosing and wearing a backpack safely.
“[The backpack should be] 10% to 15% of the child's weight. So if you're looking at a first-grader, it should be 6 to 7 pounds,” Chang said.
A child’s complaints of pain or changes in posture are signs that a backpack is too heavy or a poor fit to their body.
“From a physical standpoint, their posture is one big one that I look at. If it's too heavy, if it's pulling them back, if they're leaning back or if it's so heavy that they're punching forward or they're leaning forward to counteract a weight,” those are red flags, Chang said.
Download video soundbites and other broadcast-quality resources with Chang.
