SAN ANTONIO – Back to school means new supplies and sometimes a heavy load for students to carry around.
San Antonio chiropractor Dr. Scott Seidel said that's something that parents should think about when shopping for backpacks.
He said he has seen the short-term and long-term problems caused when children carry around too much.
"If you have a backpack that's too heavy, you can risk neck injuries, shoulder injuries, upper back injuries and other soft tissue injuries," Seidel said. "They could be slouching forward and bending their shoulders trying to carry a backpack pulling down on the back."
He said it's important to pick the right pack and use it properly.
"Proper backpacks are going to have wider shoulder straps to help distribute the weight evenly over the shoulders. You also want those shoulder straps to have a thick padding," he said.
Padding underneath the backpack where it hits a child's upper shoulders is also important, as is the overall structure of a backpack. He suggests backpacks that aren't flimsy.
Overall, a good rule of thumb is to limit the load on on a child's back to no more than 15 percent of his or her weight, Seidel said. For a 50-pound child, that means carrying only 7 1/2 pounds, and only 15 pounds for a 100-pound child.
Erin Meshew went to Academy to shop for a backpack for her 8-year-old, Olivia. Her child's size was on her mind as she selected a new pink backpack.
"Backpacks get heavy, so I figured (one with) wheels was easier for her, especially being little," she said.
Seidel also suggested carrying some of the heavier supplies in front rather than in a backpack to help balance the weight.