The American Pediatric Association advises student to:
- Wear both straps. Wearing both straps distributes the weight load evenly so well aligned posture is encouraged and facilitated. Look for padded straps when shopping for a new backpack.
- Watch body mechanics putting on and taking off the backpack. Avoid twisting and bending together at the waist. Swinging the weight to get the backpack on is a sign it is too heavy.
- Make sure the load is appropriate to the body weight. Keep the load at 10-15 percent of the child’s body weight. If it is necessary to carry more books, try carrying them in front in the arms to balance the load on the spine.
- Make sure the backpack is in the center of the back. Adjust the straps and use the middle waist belt if available to keep the backpack from hanging too low. It should rest between or below the shoulder blades. It should not go below the lumbar spine.
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