Backpack Safety for Kids

Yes, How Your Child Wears Their Backpack Matters

By Dylan Roche

When you worry about health and safety at your child’s school, the way they wear their backpack might be the last thing that comes to mind. After all, things like food allergies, germs, and playground injuries might be a much bigger concern. But a backpack that is too heavy or worn improperly could set a child up for back pain and even long-term skeletal problems if not addressed.

The Problem Weighing on Us…

The big problem is that backpacks can easily be overloaded and made too heavy—all it takes is an extra textbook or two. With children wearing backpacks for a significant portion of the day, often as they go to and from school and (for older students) in the hallways between classes, that means heavy weight bearing on their shoulders and back for hours at a time.

There’s some disagreement among health experts about whether these extended hours of wearing a heavy backpack can cause scoliosis, a condition in which the spine grows in a curve, sometimes resulting in an uneven waist or one hip that’s higher than the other.

However, there is agreement that a heavy backpack will cause spinal problems, sometimes even pushing a child’s spine out of alignment. According to the Scoliosis Institute, some of the back deformities caused by heavy backpacks can’t be easily corrected. Additionally, there’s concern that the straps on a child’s shoulders can pinch the nerves that travel from the neck to the arms, causing pain and nerve damage.

How to Wear a Backpack Properly

If you’re a parent, the sight of your child hunched under an overstuffed backpack very likely stresses you out. But how do you know exactly when a backpack is too heavy and if you should intervene?

In general, if a child looks uncomfortable, that’s indication enough. Children should never stoop or lean forward when they have their backpack on. If your child complains of back or neck pain, that’s another sign their backpack might be too heavy.

Start by checking the weight. A backpack should never exceed 15 percent of a child’s weight, although keeping it under 10 percent of their weight is ideal.

Children should not wear their backpack over one shoulder, as this puts all the weight on a single side of their body. Instead, wear both shoulder straps and the waist strap if your child’s backpack has one. Choosing a backpack with wide straps with padding will improve comfort. You should also help your child tighten the straps, so the backpack sits close to their back—never sagging down past their hips.

If your child’s school allows it, you might consider swapping out a backpack for a different type of tote, such as a small carry-onstyle bag on wheels. (These types of bags pose a tripping hazard in packed hallways, so they are not allowed by some schools). If this is an option, this could be the way to go for especially small children, who will have a harder time carrying a heavy backpack compared with a physically larger child.

Tips for Parents and Teachers

Teachers and parents can be helpful by demonstrating (and encouraging) the proper way of wearing a backpack. If you see a child wearing a backpack on one shoulder or trying to carry too many books at one time, don’t hesitate to correct them.

Depending on school rules and resources available, other great options include allowing more time to use lockers between classes to cut down on the number of books a child has to carry and opting for paperback books or even e-books when available.