- my iParenting
- quick clicks
- moms today articles
- moms today q&a
- message boards
- research baby names
- prepare a birth plan
- content channels
- ip channel rss feeds
- read birth stories
- read parenting stories
- recommended books
- e-newsletters
- safety recalls
- ip diaries
- ip store
- mom of the month
- dad of the month
- editor's letter
- letters to the editor
 |
- e-newsletters
- Sign up to receive our free weekly e-newsletters
- award-winning products
The iParenting Media Awards program helps parents find the best products for their families.
Back Breakers
The Best – and Safest – Backpacks for Your Child
By Carma Haley Shoemaker
The backpack is not always the cause of the problem. Children and teens simply have not been properly instructed on the correct methods of packing, lifting and carrying their backpacks. There is more to it than "stuff, pick-up and go." The problem – and ultimately any injury – stems from a lack of information delivered to students, parents, teachers and school administrators.
"[JanSport] has made reducing backpack-related stress and strain a major goal," says Tim Brockman, vice president of brand management for JanSport's equipment division. "Through publicity efforts and product merchandising, a trend in educating consumers about the improper loading and wearing of packs and the benefits of its new and existing packs is catching. But it's clear that consumers are carrying increasingly heavier loads in backpacks and carrying them in ways for which they were not designed. More education is needed."
The JanSport safety program includes both educating the consumer about the proper use of the pack and demanding that manufacturers produce backpacks that are even easier to use safely and comfortably.
The BSA states that there is an easy-to-follow, four-step method for wearing and using a backpack in the safest, most comfortable way. The steps are:
Choosing the right size backpack is the most important step to safe backpack use.
Tip: Bring a friend to help you measure your backpack properly.
The maximum weight of the loaded backpack should not exceed 15 percent of your body weight, so pack only what is needed.
Tip: If the backpack forces the wearer to move forward to carry, it's overloaded.
