We can all remember those days when we'd leave school with several books in our backpacks, barely able to move under the weight of all of that paper.
Dr. Scott S. Dooley of Advanced Neck & Back Pain Clinic, INC. in Vernon Hills offers these tips on how to get the best backpack for your child:
- Choose the right backpack with two straps and a padded lumbar support.
- Pack it right. Place the largest items against the child's back. Maximum weight of a loaded backpack should not exceed 10 percent of the child's weight.
- Lift it up by bending your knees keeping your back straight and lift with your legs.
- Wear it right by not slinging the backpack over your shoulder. Wear both straps at all times to avoid unnecessary spinal curve formations.
