• How to Choose a Backpack

    Choosing the correct backpack for your child is important in maintaining proper body mechanics and preventing neck and back pain. Although children may not be using backpacks as often this year due to remote learning, it is still wise to check for proper fitting.  The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that a child’s backpack weigh no more than 10 to 20 percent of their body weight. Consumer Reports recommends keeping the weight closer to 10 percent of the child’s weight. When a heavy backpack is incorrectly placed on the shoulders, the weight’s force can pull a child backward. To compensate, the child might bend forward at the hips or arch the…