When Backpacks Attack

Backpacks, as awesome as they can be, can also cause a lot of back pain if used in weird or crazy ways – main thing being putting way too much stuff into one and having it hang halfway down your back.

The lovely people over at Carrington College’s Massage Therapy Classes pulled together a real neat-looking infographic that shares a lot of facts about backpacks and back pain. Below are a few points we pulled out, but you can check the entire infographic below:

- 79 million US students carry backpacks.
- 30-50% of adolescents have back pain because of their backpacks.
- Your backpack should be no heavier than 10-15% of your body weight.
- Wear your backpack close to the center of your back. This reduces muscle strain.
- Choose a backpack that has a padded back – it decreases stress on the back, shoulders, and underarms, as well as enhances comfort.

If you want to check the infographic at a higher res, click here.

Bio
Latest Posts

Catherine

Catherine is a tea addict, a fan of hands-free carry (backpacks, messengers, etc.) Her favourite EDC is her Leatherman. Catherine’s also the reason our grammar and spelling is so awesome, running her eye over every post that you get to read.