Kids are back to school carrying their new backpacks, and by now we’re far enough into the school year that they’ve got homework, which means they’re carrying home books, often heavy ones.
To top that all off, this is New York City, which means most of us carry our lives with us throughout the day – there’s no backseat of a car to throw everything into. But many children and adults are carrying their backpacks on their backs incorrectly, which, done often enough over your lifetime, can lead to chronic neck, shoulder and back pain culminating in a visit to my office.
Here are the top 8 things you should be doing with your backpack to keep your back safe:
Shannon tells me that backpacks are like women’s purses – the bigger they are, the more things you find to fill them up. You don’t need to purchase the largest backpack. Larger doesn’t mean better.
Your backpack should never weigh more than 5 to 10 percent of your body weight. If it does, you need to lighten your load.
I recommend padded straps, a padded back, and a waist strap for optimal lumbar support.
Your backpack should not hang more than 4 inches below your waistline – if it hangs lower, you are increasing the weight on your shoulders and shortening your neck muscles.
I do not recommend buying a backpack online, only because it’s very important that it fit to the person who will be wearing it, and you can’t test that out through your computer screen. Trying a backpack on in a store to test the fit is recommended.
The heaviest items in your backpack should be at the back and bottom.
Protect your back and shoulders by bending at the knees and lifting your backpack with your legs.
Do not sling your backpack over one shoulder. Distribute the weight evenly by putting your backpack over both shoulders.
DASHA® is a luxury lifestyle brand and New York City-based wellness center created to offer a truly holistic approach to wellness. To learn more, visit dashawellness.com.
