With increasingly competitive schools and a focus on academics, you might be surprised with how many textbooks your child is required to have — even in elementary school. In addition to impacting their schedule, a heavy school workload can also weigh down their backpack, putting a strain on their back and neck.

Here are three back-to-school backpack safety tips to help your child avoid back pain:

Use Those Hip Straps

They might not be the cutest part of your child’s backpack, but those hip straps serve an important purpose — taking the strain off of your child’s back. By using the hip and waist straps, your child can enjoy a well-distributed backpack load, alleviating back pain and preventing permanent damage. Encourage your child to use hip and waist straps, and get them into the habit of buckling up whenever they put on their backpack.

Fill Compartments Evenly 

To distribute backpack weight properly, teach your child to fill compartments evenly, starting with the compartments closest to their body. Remember, the closer the compartment is to their body, the easier it will be for their frame to support the weight. Teach your child to avoid filling exterior compartments before main areas, and have them use larger areas for heavier objects like graphing calculators and textbooks.

Watch the Weight

To prevent back pain, your child’s backpack should never weigh more than 10% of their body weight. To put that number into perspective, an 85-pound child’s backpack shouldn’t weigh more than 8.5 pounds. Weigh your child’s backpack regularly to keep them safe.

Has your child been complaining about back pain? Dr. Matthew Haumesser of Eastern Hills Chiropractic helps adults, teens, and children throughout the greater Cincinnati, OH, area with a range of back and neck problems. By offering traditional chiropractic adjustments, this experienced chiropractor can help with everything from colic and allergies to ADHD, ear infections, scoliosis, growing pains, and bedwetting. To make an appointment, send them a message online or call (513) 528-2200.