It's back to school time so that means it's time to get a new backpack. With all of the options out there, it can be hard to know which one is best for preventing back pain for yourself and/or your little one. We listed some of our favorite tips to help you find that perfect fit!
- Your backpack should fall below your shoulders and above your hips – it should not be more than 2 inches below your waist
- Keep the weight at or below 10% of your body mass
- Make sure you pick one with compartments: they can be used to evenly distribute the weight and to keep the heaviest items closest to your back.
- Only keep the essentials in your back pack. Extra stuff you don’t need or most likely won’t use leave at home.
- In order to maintain only having the essentials in your backpack, clean it out every two weeks.
- Use both straps so the backpack is evenly balanced. Make sure you pick straps that are padded so they are more comfortable for your shoulders.
- Use hip and chest straps if available, they will help to keep the weight evenly distributed and help to relieve some of the weight from your shoulders
- Make sure you pick the smallest size that will fit your functional needs.
- Ergonomic backpacks have extra padding, straps, and compartments so you can adjust them more readily to your body.
- Try it on! You would try on shoes before purchasing, right? Make sure it fits!