MICAH HOLCOMBE Milam County Extension Agent
It’s that time of year again—back-to-school.
Many parents and children prepare for that first day of school by doing some back-to-school shopping, which often involves buying new clothing, pens, pencils, paper, markers, etc.
However, backpacks are one of the biggest necessities for both college-aged and younger students, and it’s important to choose wisely.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that before you purchase a backpack, look for the following five criteria:
• Choose a lightweight backpack that doesn’t add a lot of weight to your child’s load. For instance, although leather backpacks look cool, they weigh more than traditional canvas backpacks.
• Choose a backpack with two wide, padded shoulder straps. Straps that are too narrow can dig into shoulders.
• Choose a backpack that has a padded back, which provides increased comfort and protects the wearer from being poked by sharp edges (such as pencils, rulers, notebooks) inside the backpack.
• Choose a backpack that has a waist belt, which helps distribute the weight more evenly across the body.
• Choose a backpack that has multiple compartments, which also helps distribute weight more evenly.
Girls and younger children may be especially at risk for backpack-related injuries because they’re smaller and may carry loads that are heavier in proportion to their body weight.
Doctors recommend that people—especially children—carry backpacks that are no more than 10-15 percent of their body weight.
So, for an 80 pound child, the backpack and its contents should not weigh more than 12 pounds—but remember, lighter is always better.
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