July 8, 2010
Updated Jul 8, 2010 at 4:03 PM EDT
Thousands of children across the country are suffering from back pain, and parents just don't know why. The problem? A backpack that's too heavy. Sometimes kids won't complain about the pain until they pull a muscle, so it's important for parents to take preventative action. Here's a couple of tips: Always have your child carry the backpack with both straps on their shoulders. This will help distribute the weight more evenly. Also, the total backpack weight should be no more than 15% of the child's total body weight. If a child complains about back pain, experts urge parents to take them to a doctor immediately so that permanent damage can hopefully be avoided.
