Reducing Backpack Related Pain

When I was a student in high school, I remember carrying all my books around in my backpack. I don't know what the books are like in high school these days, but back then the books were really heavy. Some of my textbooks were so large that I could only fit two of them in my backpack (which was quite large) and I would have to carry one or two more so I could take them home for homework. This was obviously not healthy for my back or neck. But when you are young, health issue like these didn't present themselves as priorities. Not only were the textbooks ridiculously heavy, all the kids in my high school wore their backpacks on only one shoulder. Basically, we would sling one shoulder strap over a shoulder and let the other strap hang loose. This was the "style." Only the "un-cool" kids wore both straps of their backpacks. (I bet those kids don't have back or neck problems now!)

Interestingly, when I went to college, most students didn't even use backpacks. In college the "in style" item was the sidepack. These are briefcase style bags made of backpack material, but with one strap that you sling over a shoulder...even worse for your back and neck. And the textbooks...well, let's just say that college textbooks are the BIG brothers of the high school textbooks.

It's no wonder that I frequently had back and neck pain while in college...and even after.

But now that I'm an adult and am more conscientious about my health, I'm more careful about how I treat my body. So now when I use a backpack, I keep in mind some simple guidelines. Here are some things you can do to prevent back or neck pain from backpack use.

First of all, forget the sidepacks. If you're going to carry a lot of stuff around, get a proper backpack. I'm always amazed at people (especially women with their big, heavy bags) who will risk their health to be trendy or stylish.

Be sure not to stuff too much weight into your backpack. Try to pack only the items you will need for that particular trip out. A rule of thumb is your backpack shouldn't have any more than about 10% of your body weight worth of stuff in it. Of course, if you tend to be a heavier person, this percentage should be lower. Kids can probably get away with about 15% of their weight. When you carry too much weight, it can cause you to bend forward or arch your back. And this can increase your risk of encountering back or neck troubles.

Use the backpack as it was designed to be used. This means that you should wear both shoulder straps. Don't be concerned about how it looks. Better to look "not cool" than to have a bad back! Consider getting a backpack that has a waist strap too. This will take some of the pressure and strain off your shoulders and back.

Don't allow your backpack to dangle. Take up the slack in the shoulder straps so the backpack fits correctly. Again, backpacks weren't designed to be dangling off your shoulders.

If you need to carry a lot of weight in your backpack, get one that was designed to carry such heavy weight. These types of backpacks will usually come with more padding, straps for the hips or waist, and some will have various pouches or compartments so you can balance the weight of your stuff.

Bottom line...don't risk back and neck pain. It not worth it!