Can Backpacks Cause Back Pain?

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Carrying around a backpack filled with books and school supplies can give students back pain. Who would have thought that something designed to make a student’s life simpler could instead to give them back pain. However there are things that can be done about it so that your student going off to school with a backpack laden with heavy textbooks doesn’t develop a back problem.

A heavy pack that doesn’t distribute the weight on the shoulders of the student, almost pulling them back, is really too heavy. If the pack is too heavy the student will end up leaning forward to compensate as they are walking. If kept up over a long period of time the shoulders may become rounded or can just cause neck, back and shoulder pain. Good news there are things that can be done to prevent this.

Wearing only one of the backpack shoulder straps can cause you to lean in the direction of the weight. Also having trouble getting your back pack on or off can also cause added back strain and lead to future back problems. The first way to avoid trouble with your backpack is to wear both straps. This helps distribute the weight more evenly making it less stressful to carry. The weight should sit in the middle of your back. Adjusting the straps to make the load sit in the middle of the back will also make it easy to put on and take off. Having the straps too loose however means the weight will not be held properly by the pack.

If you bump into people or knock things down, this is a sure sign that the backpack is too heavy. Take only what you need and don’t over pack the backpack. As a guideline, the pack should not weigh more than 15 percent of your body weight. When packing the backpack put the heavy things closer to your back and the lighter ones on the outside. This positions the weight closer to your back and helps support the weight. Get a backpack with good padding on the shoulder straps to reduce strain on your shoulders. Always use the hip or waist belts to help hold the weight close to your back for best support.

With a little bit of organizing and some adjustments to the shoulder and waist straps, using a backpack does not have to lead to future back problems.

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Can Backpacks Cause Back Pain?