The Right Way To Wear A Backpack

Back to school time is right around the corner! With that in mind, we wanted to make sure our readers knew the safest way to wear a backpack this school year — Follow this easy backpack strategy to protect proper posture and avoid back, neck, and shoulder pain:

• Pack it light.
  • Backpacks should not weigh more than 10-15% of your bodyweight at any given moment
• Pack the heaviest items closest to your back.
  • This helps stabilize the items in the pack and evenly distribute weight.
• Use all 3 straps.
  • Wear both shoulder straps approximately 2 inches below your shoulder blades so that the pack sits at waist level. Wear the waist belt if there is one. The backpack should fit snuggly on your back.

Symptoms of wearing too heavy of a backpack include:

• Pain in the back, shoulders, neck, and hands
• Strained or weakened muscles
• Tingling in the arms
• Pain in the arms
• Poor posture

If you expect any issues throughout this school year with backpack strain, don’t hesitate to contact our office for an evaluation!