Backpack Safety

What Every Parent and Kid Should Know

Parents spend an average of $1,098 (1) and countless hours ensuring their children get off to the right start for the school year – from school books to electronic accessories to nutritious snacks – and yet, they fail to make the grade when it comes to selecting proper backpacks for their kids.

Medical professionals urge parents and kids to consider safety and ergonomics when selecting, packing and using backpacks, amid studies that show students carry an average of 17 percent of their body weight (2), significantly higher than the recommended 10-15 percent (3). The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission notes there were more than 21,000 backpack-related injuries treated in 2003 (4), including strains and sprains of back and shoulders. Before the school year begins, parents and kids should spend a few minutes together and review backpack guidelines to maximize safety, comfort and proper use.

Selecting:

• Well-padded back, for comfort and to prevent objects from digging into the back.
• Well-padded and contoured shoulder straps for comfort and to prevent nerve compression.
• Numerous pockets and compartments to keep things from shifting around.
• A waist strap to distribute weight onto hips and off of the spine and shoulders.
• Lightweight material construction (canvas bags are lighter than leather bags).
• Make sure the pack is the right size! Backpacks should not extend higher than shoulder level and not lower than 4 inches below the waist.

Packing:

• A loaded backpack should weigh less than 10% of the student’s body weight (JK-8); older students can carry up to 15% of their body weight.
• Pack the heaviest items so they are closest to the child's back. If the heaviest items are packed further away, this throws off the child's centre of gravity and causes unnecessary strain.
• Use the inside organizer compartments to keep items secured in place during transit.
• Carry only what is necessary in the backpack, and make frequent trips to the locker during the day if possible; each night, clean out the backpack from unnecessary items and papers.

Lifting and Carrying:

• When fitted correctly, the backpack should contour snugly to the back, rather than hang off the shoulders.
• Adjust both shoulder straps so that the bottom of the backpack is just above the waist – don't wear it slung low over the buttocks.
• Bend at the knees to lift the backpack; squat or kneel, but never bend at the waist!
• Lift the pack with both hands and hold it close to the body. Slip one arm through one shoulder strap, and then the other.
• If you have to lean over, the backpack is too heavy, incorrectly fitted or wrongly packed.

Lunch bags:

According to Dr. Dan Yaron, chiropractor and medical director, Obus Forme, parents should watch out for heavy lunch-bags. Here are some tips:

Adding a lunch bag to the outside of a backpack, the type that clip on, can increase the weight of a pack, but not significantly more considering a child should be carrying their lunch in the pack in any case. The important thing is to minimize the overall weight and keep it within the 10-15% of bodyweight limit. No more than 10% for kids JK-grade 8, no more than 15% for older kids.

Additional weight attached to the outside of a pack can increase strain, that is why we suggest placing heavier items like containers, water bottles and thermoses inside the actual backpack, and lighter, loose items only in the lunch bag itself.

Carrying the lunch bag in one hand or on a shoulder can create imbalanced forces on the body and also restrict a child's freedom of movement. For this reason, it is best to try and place lunch items within the pack, with the lighter, smaller items in the lunch bag itself. It is always best to carry heavier items closest to the child's back to minimize potential strain.

(1) Canadian Press/Leger Marketing. Back to School Spending in Canada.

(2) Public Health Agency of Canada, Canadian Health Network

(3) Ontario Chiropractic Association

(4) National Safety Council.

Backpack safety tips courtesy of Obus Forme.