Wow, families, can you believe that we only have a couple more weeks of summer left? With the closing of summer, comes the start of school. Some of our students may have already started their school year while some students are anxiously awaiting their approaching start. Whether you are excited, nervous or everything in between we know maintaining your child’s health and safety is always a top priority for you and our team at Kids Place Therapy Services.
Did you know that your child’s backpack should weigh less than 20% of their body weight? While a backpack is very useful for carrying many items, it can cause unnecessary pain and damage to the body when used incorrectly. Below, we have listed more tips and recommendations to maintain backpack safety.
- Wear the straps on both shoulders with the bag pulled tightly against the back.
- Use proper body mechanics when lifting the bag off the floor. (Bending at the knees, back straight)
- Avoid hauling heavier books or items as often as possible.
- If the load must exceed 20% of the child’s body weight use a rolling backpack or backpack with a strap that goes around the hips.
- Choose a backpack with wider straps.
References:
Orthoinfo. I(2020). Backpack Safety. Retrieved from https://orthoinfo.aaos.org/en/staying-healthy/backpack-safety/
