Joyce McKinney

Back to School Tips from the School Nurse

BACKPACKS

Back, neck , shoulder complaints, and headaches may be precipitated by the improper use of backpacks by students. Physical problems often arise because students wear them improperly and carry more than the recommended weight for their body size.

Recommendations for safe backpack use:

A students should not carry a backpack that weighs greater than 15% of his or her body weight. Match the size of the backpack to the size of the student.
Select a style that has two wide, padded shoulders straps and encourage your child to use both of the straps.
Lighten the load whenever possible.