Back-to-School Backpack Guide!
Welcome!
09.28.2017
ICBC Chiropractic Flat Fee Program – ends March 31, 2019
03.24.2018
It’s back to school time! Let’s talk about how we should load our backpacks and minimize the weight we are carrying! When loading our backpacks we want to make sure to always minimize it to our necessities. Decrease the weight of that bag!
At most, the weight of your bag should be a maximum of 15% of your body weight. For growing kids, let’s keep it less! Once we have found the bare minimum we are bringing to school, we need to know how to load the backpack! Keep the heavier items at the bottom of the bag and also try to use compression straps to keep the weight closer to your spine!
By using the compression straps to make sure the bag is snug to your body, the weight will move around with your movements and decrease the momentum when throwing your bag over your shoulders! Use both shoulder straps!
You need to make sure that your body is getting equal amounts of weight so then all the muscles are working equally. No one shouldering those bags! The bag should not hang below 4 inches from the waist! Does your backpack have hip straps? It is becoming more common that backpacks have hip straps and we recommend you to look for ones that do! It is a little bit harder to find ones that fit right onto your iliac crests (the bony parts by your belly button on the side).
By using hip straps, the majority of the weight will be transferred to your iliac crests, so give your shoulders a break from your heavy backpack! Sternum straps - what are they for? By using the sternum strap we are transferring more weight to your bones so your shoulders don't have to lift that much weight.
If you have any questions or are unsure if you're wearing the right backpack, come on in and we’ll fit that backpack correctly for you, or give you advice on the best one for you! -Northwest Rehab Group
