Back to School Backpack Safety

http://blogcritics.org/culture/article/back-to-school-backpacking/

The above article gives some great insight into backpack safety for school kids. It is really important to limit the weight of the school bag to 10-15% of your child's body weight. Anything heavier will put unnecessary pressure on their spine and carrying that heavy bag day in and day out will only make matters worse. The heavy school bag may increase the curve of the spine in the lower back and it will make your kids susceptible to disc injuries and arthritis in the future.

Your child's backpack should always been worn on both shoulders and kept close to the body. As well as being kept close to the body, it should be worn on the back and should not come down and cover any of the buttock region. The bottom of the school bag should come just above the waistline. Bags with padded shoulder straps and a waist strap are a good bonus to give added support.

Remember, if your child does start to complain about back pain from wearing a heavy schoolbag, take them to the chiropractor to have their spine assessed. A chiropractic adjustment can help to realign the spine, decrease pain and speed up recovery.