Kitterman Woods knows everyone is excited to be back in school but when you move your child’s backpack after he or she drops it at the door, does it feel like it contains 40 pounds of rocks?

Backpacks that are too heavy can cause a lot of problems for kids, like back and shoulder pain, and poor posture.

While we wait for solutions like digital textbooks to become widespread, there are things you can do to help prevent injury.

• the American Chiropractic Association recommends a backpack weigh no more than 10 percent of a child’s weight.
• The correct size: never wider or longer than your child’s torso and never hanging more than 4 inches below the waist
• Padded back and shoulder straps
• Multiple compartments to better distribute the weight

Remember: A roomy backpack may seem like a good idea, but the more space there is to fill, the more likely your child will fill it. Make sure your child uses both straps when carrying the backpack. Using one strap shifts the weight to one side and causes muscle pain and posture problems.

What About Backpacks on Wheels? Rolling backpacks should be used “cautiously and on a limited basis by only those students who are not physically able to carry a backpack,” the ACA website reads. The reason? They clutter school corridors, replacing a potential back injury hazard with a tripping hazard.

Help your child determine what is necessary to carry. If it’s not essential, leave it at home and, pick up that pack from time to time.

For more info visit: https://www.acatoday.org/