It’s back to school time already
! Where did the month of August go?
Some of you have already bought backpacks, others have not.
It’s all good.
Whether you want to judge that you made the right choice, or use this as research before you make the supply run, we have you covered.
What are the most important things to look for in a good, size appropriate backpack?
(Other than if it has Moana or Transformers on it, of course!)
Sizing
Have you had to put on your child’s bag before? You may be able to sling it over one shoulder, if it fits at all.
On your child, the bag should be no higher than the top of the shoulder and sit above the fullest part of the buttocks.
Material
Pick a light fabric type. Any filled backpack should o
nly weigh 10-15% of a person’s weight. By having a lighter bag, you are able to carry more things without risking discomfort and possible injuries.
Compartments
The more, the better.
The more compartmen
ts available allow you to organize the items more effectively. The heaviest objects should rest against the back, with the lighter, awkwardly shaped items on the outside.
Adults: With one strap, be sure to distribute the weight evenly between all the compartments to keep the bag as balanced as possible. This includes messenger bags, briefcases, purses, diaper bags, etc.
Straps
Two is always better than one.
Only having one strap, or only using one strap puts an uneven pressure on the body and nobody likes that. Over time this can cause muscles aches, pain, poor posture, headaches and nerve irritation.
I was able to use the one shoulder strap until I started bringing a laptop to university classes; THEN I felt the difference a second strap can make. It was a game changer!
Padding
As the weight of the bag increase
s, the amount of padding should increase as well. Kindergartners may not need padding and the majority of their bags won’t offer it anyway. Elementary and high school students should be looking for it.
Heavy weights without padding will cause the straps to dig into the shoulders and can cause numbness or tingling into the arms and hands over time.
If this happens:
- Lighten the load. Your bag should only weigh 10-15% of total body weight.
- Use the chest and/or waist straps. This distributes the weight across the chest or pelvis, taking some pressure off the shoulders.
- Buy a more padded bag with chest and waist straps.
- Visit a chiropractor. Numbness and tingling are symptoms of nerve irritation. Recurrent numbness and tingling can be the result of chronic inflammation of the nerves.
Safety
This you may have to add on afterwards. Reflective patches on backpacks make kids easier to see on the road during the shorter winter days.
Double Check
Dr Katie is running a back to school talk in Naturopathic Living during the Patient Appreciation week. Stay tuned for the date and time.
You can get ideas of the bags that work best and some examples of what to avoid when purchasing by looking this link: Click Here
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