1. Pack it Light. Wear it Right
Pack it Light. Wear it Right. provides educators, parents and students with information and tips to prevent backpack-related injury. With these materials, we aim to help parents and students choose, pack, lift and safely carry their heavy backpacks on a daily basis. 

2. Backpack-related injuries:
Are common
Can lead to long-term problems
Are easily preventable
Backpack injuries are common:
In a recent Pollara survey of 500 Ontario chiropractors, 76 per cent reported that overloaded backpacks are a leading cause of back and neck pain in many of their school-aged patients.
By the end of the teen years, more than 50 per cent of youth experience at least one low back pain episode (Spine 1998; 23:228-34). Research indicates that this may be due in part to improper use of backpacks.

3. Ontario chiropractors report backpacks are a leading cause of injury.
More than half of youth experience at
least one back pain episode.
Backpack injuries are common:
In a recent Pollara survey of 500 Ontario chiropractors, 76 per cent reported that overloaded backpacks are a leading cause of back and neck pain in many of their school-aged patients.
By the end of the teen years, more than 50 per cent of youth experience at least one low back pain episode (Spine 1998; 23:228-34). Research indicates that this may be due in part to improper use of backpacks.

4. Heavy backpack carried on the back can:
Cause numbness in the arms
Reduce blood flow
Create poor posture
Contribute to headache and neck pain
Distort natural curve in middle and lower back

5. Cause muscles to compensate for uneven weight
Lead to muscle strain
Cause muscles to compensate for uneven weight
Cause spine to lean to opposite side of weight
Place stress on mid/lower back
Consider selecting a volunteer from the audience to demonstrate the poor posture that results from wearing a backpack on one shoulder.

6. backpack-related injuries.
You can prevent
backpack-related injuries.
Consider selecting a volunteer from the audience to demonstrate the poor posture that results from wearing a backpack on one shoulder.

7. Your backpack should: Be proportionate to your body
Be made of lightweight material
Have padded shoulder straps
at least two inches wide
Have a padded back
Have a hip strap or waist belt
Have several individual pockets
1. The bag should not be larger than what is needed. The top of the bag should not extend higher than the top of the shoulder, and the bottom should not fall below the hip bone.
2. Vinyl or canvas are lightweight materials that can reduce the overall weight of your load.
3. Shoulder straps should also be adjustable. They should not cut into or fit too snugly around the arms and arm pits.
4. A waist strap helps to effectively redistribute as much as 50 to 70 per cent of the weight off the shoulders and spine onto the pelvis. This will equalize the strain on the bones, joints and muscles.
5. Having several pockets allows you to distribute the weight evenly, and prevents contents from shifting.

8. Now that you’ve chosen a good backpack, all you have to do is remember two things: Pack it Light and Wear it Right.

10. Backpacks shouldn’t exceed 15% of a child’s weight
Weight should be evenly distributed
Pack the heaviest items closest to the body
Pack odd-shaped items on the outside
Only carry items that are needed

12. Always wear both shoulder straps
Adjust the straps so the pack fits snugly
Use the waist straps
Slinging the backpack on one side can cause the spine to lean toward the opposite side. This places stress on the joingts and muscles in the mid and lower back. This can lead to back problems later in life.
When the straps are properly adjusted, the bag will not swing from side to side when the carrier is walking. You should be able to slide your hand between the backpack and your back. This positioning will reduce the strain on your back, shoulders and neck.
By using the waist straps, you reduce the strain on your back, by transferring some of the load to your hips.
A backpack that is too heavy or too low will cause the wearer to lean forward to carry the full weight on the upper back.

13. When putting on your backpack:
Squat or kneel to pick up the bag
Avoid twisting or bending
Lift with the legs
Place the bag on a waist-high
surface to slip it on

14. Ontario Chiropractic Association
More Information
For further information, please contact my clinic or:
Ontario Chiropractic Association
Victoria St., Toronto, ON., M5C 2N8
Web:
Phone: 