Have you ever seen your child come home from school, hunkered over with their backpack on? And then they take it off and it looks as if the weight of the world has been lifted from their shoulders?
Dr. Orly Avitzur, a board-certified neurologist and medical adviser to Consumer Reports says, “A heavy backpack is a strong contributor to low-back pain in children. They carry those heavy packs for long periods of time, sometimes carrying it on one shoulder only or climbing stairs which only adds to the problem.” Dr. Avitzur also adds that children of smaller stature (shorter children and girls) are more susceptible to pain because of their small frame.
Finding the right backpack
Finding the correct backpack can help alleviate some of that pain. These days there are so many different backpacks out there that it can be hard to find the correct one that will not break, holds all needed items and keeps your child happy. But here are some tips for while you’re shopping for the back to school stuff:
- One size DOES NOT fit all – The bottom of the pack should align with the curvature of the child’s lower back but not more than four inches below the waistline. The shoulder strap anchor points should rest 1-2 inches below the top of the shoulders.
- Sloppy stitching or loose threads come from poor manufacturing
- Raw or exposed fabric edges can fray, weakening the fabric and lead to stuck zippers
- In a rain test, zippers without covering fabric flaps allowed water to seep in.
- Look for wide, padded and contoured shoulder straps, they help distribute the load better
- If your child is walking to and from school, make sure the pack has reflectors or reflective fabrics
- The American Occupational Therapy Association recommends carrying no mote than 15% of your body weight in a backpack.
Ratings
Consumer Reports recently tested and rated the most popular backpacks, here are some of the highlights from their findings. These may not necessarily mean that the backpack rated will be the best physical fit for your child.
Construction Quality: Disney Hannah Montana Undercover Pop Star pack received a “Poor” rating. The JanSport Big Student TDN7, The North Face Jester and the LL Bean Original Book Pack TA49165 all received “Very Good” (the highest in the category).
Durability: The Bukugan Battle Brawlers pack received a “Poor” and the Jan Sport Big Student TDN7, The North Face Jester, JanSport Boost, Nike and the LL Bean Original Book Pack TA49165 all received an “Excellent.”
Rain resistance: the JanSport Big Student TDN7 received the only “Excellent.”
Volume: The backpack with the smallest volume (by cubic inches) was the Lucky Bums Dragonfly 15 with 700 and the biggest volume was 2300 by the JanSport Boost
Recommended: The North Face Jester
