By Carrie Madormo, Reader’s Digest, ~2019
https://www.rd.com/advice/heavy-backpack-every-day/
“When you first get a backpack, you put in just what you need. It’s perfectly filled and perfectly comfortable. But as time goes on, it tends to get packed with more and more stuff, and your back starts to hurt. Since the shift is gradual, you might not even realize it at first, but it can turn into a big problem. Here’s how to figure out if your backpack is too heavy.
Around 80 percent of adults experience lower back pain at some point in their lives, and lifting or carrying heavy items can contribute to this problem. And while it seems like the norm for kids to have a backpack brimming with textbooks and supplies, it’s not a good idea. According to a study published in PLOS One in 2018, carrying a backpack weighing more than 10 percent of a child’s body weight is linked to back and neck pain.
You might be shocked to learn how backpacks can negatively affect your body, but we also have some good news: Just a few easy, expert-approved adjustments can keep your back—and your kids’ backs—safe.”
