Backpacks Can Easily Become a Tripping Hazard In A Crowded Classroom or Hallway
Backpacks are a great for your child to carry their school supplies and textbooks; however, they can cause additional injuries. If you have ever been to a classroom, most of the time the classrooms are small and cramped. In fact, there usually isn’t much room for your personal belongings to fit underneath your desk. Often times your backpack might even extend out in the aisle and cause you or another student to trip and fall over your backpack.
Heavy, Overstuffed Backpacks Can Easily Hurt Someone
A backpack that is heavy and stuffed full often takes up more room than students realize especially in crowded areas such as a hallway, bus or classroom aisle. If you have ever stood at your locker and quickly turned around, more than likely your backpack has bumped into someone. Depending on how much weight is in your child’s backpack, your child could accidentally hurt someone. If your child’s backpack falls off of a chair, desk, or out of your locker, it could easily hurt someone. An overweight backpack can also cause your child to fall because it changes the way they walk or makes them lose their balance easier.
Teach Your Child How to Properly Pick Up a Heavy Backpack
A heavy backpack should always be lifted with your legs and not your back. To properly lift a backpack your child should bend at the knees into a squatting position. Then pick it using their leg muscles while keeping their hips square, carefully lift the back up to your shoulders and put on the shoulders one strap at a time.
Choosing the Right Backpack For Your Child
I realize that your child probably wants a backpack that looks cool but it is important for your child to choose a backpack that is made of a sturdy, lightweight material. Your child’s backpack should fit properly. Backpacks that is too big for your child can easily be stuffed full. An overstuffed backpack can increase your child’s risk of injuries. Have your child try on the backpack and if possible add some weight to it at the store. Confirm that it fits your child properly before you purchase it. Tighten the straps so that they properly fit your child. Once the straps are tightened properly, the bottom of the backpack should sit about 2 inches above your child’s waist. Also look for a backpack that has the following features:
- A backpack that has multiple compartments will help evenly distribute the weight and reduce your child’s risk of injury as long as they don’t go over their maximum weight limit.
- Find a backpack that has a waist strap. A waist strap will help distribute some of the weight onto your child’s hips. It also helps distribute the weight load across your child’s body.
- Try to find a backpack with padded back. It can help protect your child’s back from objects poking your child in the back.
- Always choose a backpack that has wide, padded straps.
Does your child’s backpack fit properly? Has your child ever complained of being injured at school from backpack?
Comments
12 responses to “Choosing the Right Backpack Can Greatly Reduce the Risks of Long-Term Health Problems or Injuries”
Great thorough article. All great points to consider when choosing a backpack!
Thank you for stopping by Raquel. 🙂
Great, informative post!
Thank you for stopping by Jennifer.
Required reading for backpack shoppers! I don’t think I ever put enough time into choosing the right one with my older kids when they were young…poor things, it was more about what they liked in my budget range, which wasn’t a lot when I had four young kids. Now that I have just one in school, I researched and tested and finally ended up spending like $50 on a brand-name one with all sorts of extras to make it comfy. Even with the textbooks staying home, that backpack is still wayyy too heavy, imo, if he has all he needs to daily. I really wish they’d go back to having lockers at school. Great post!
Don’t feel bad when my older kids were younger, I bought them a backpack that was in my budget as well. I was feeling my daughter’s backpack yesterday and it felt too heavy even though she didn’t have any books in it either..
My oldest just started kindergarten this week–so we bought him his very first full-size backpack. Fortunately he doesn’t have much to carry, but I will keep all this info in mind as he and his siblings grow and have more things to carry to and from school!
I hope your child enjoys going to school and learning new things. 🙂
Backpack trends are so funny. The rolling ones are just weird to me, but I remember how you could only where your pack on one shoulder, or you just weren’t cool.
I agree they were weird, one of my older kids had one for a while and it didn’t last long.
Can heavy backpacks stunt your growth too? These are really good tips! You think of everything!
Lexie I don’t know if they can stunt your growth; however, if you damage your discs in your back you can lose a few inches of your height. Plus you can run the risk of hunchback issues if you are constantly learning forward to counterbalance the extra weight.