Be careful not to put too much weight on schoolchildren's backs

Between books, a laptop or tablet, lunch and whatever else students stuff into their backpacks, the load can add up to some serious weight.

It also can add up to a sore back, shoulders and neck.

It’s easy to overload a school backpack, said Kathleen Hansen, an occupational therapist with SEARHC in Juneau, where she works with children and adults.

“Many people are very surprised to find out how much their backpack weighs,” she said. Her advice is to “pack smart as they ready for school.”

The new school year in Wrangell starts Aug. 22.

“There is a little bit of a formula to figure out how (weight) much is right,” Hansen explained. That is about 10% to 15% of a child’s body weight. “You can put a backpack on a scale,” or compare it to a gallon of milk, which weighs about 8.6 pounds.

It’s all about weight distribution within the pack, she said. Wide shoulder straps, a chest strap or waist strap can help spread the load. One way to pack smart is to place the heaviest items closest to the body. “It will help rebalance the weight.”

Parents also should make sure their kid is using a children’s size pack, rather than loading an adult pack onto their shoulders.

Hansen has been an occupational therapist for 13 years and has seen backpacks as heavy as 20 or 30 pounds on children. They “want to bring everything with them,” she said.

“When you get to middle school. … kids put more things in their backpacks.” If a child is suffering from back or shoulder pain, she will talk with them about lightening their load. “What are some things that can stay at school?”

She advises parents to watch their child’s posture, looking to see if they are leaning too far forward or leaning too far back because of the heavy pack. And listen to their child. “Often times, a child will say, ‘I have shoulder or neck pain or lower-back pain.’”

There actually is an International Backpack Awareness Day, sponsored by the American Occupational Therapy Association. It’s set for Oct. 27 this year. “There has been a lot more awareness” of the problem, Hansen said.

SEARHC has an occupational therapist in Wrangell.