Back to School Backpack Safety

(August 26, 2008)   Back to school time means back to books, notebooks, folders, pencil cases, crayons, calculators and more.  This school year, don’t let heavy backpacks filled with supplies cause injury to your child. 

According to Deepak Patel, M.D., a family and sports medicine physician with Rush-Copley Medical Group, children can suffer from backaches, muscle strains, stiffness and posture problems from backpacks that are too heavy or that are used improperly.

“By adding more books and supplies to a backpack, children increase their risk for injury,” said Patel.   “A backpack should not weigh more than 15 percent of a child’s body weight, and should have a padded back and straps to help prevent pain or injury.”

Dr. Patel offers the following tips to help lighten the load of a heavy backpack:

• Choose a backpack made of lightweight materials.
• A backpack should sit two inches above the child’s waist.
• Children should always use both shoulder straps to evenly distribute the weight. 
• A backpack with a waist strap will help to take some of the weight off a child’s shoulders.
• Make sure your child carries only the necessary books and supplies.
• Look for a backpack with reflective stripes for increased visibility at night.

Test Your Backpack Online

Visit rushcopley.com/backpack to calculate your safe backpack weight. This online safety tool measures the weight of common school supplies with the weight of the child.