Whether you’re an active adult, carry a bag of stuff to work everyday, or have a kiddo who carries a backpack to school, picking out the right bag can be crucial to preventing pain and supporting your posture.
Here are a few things to look for (and not to look for!)
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1. Propper Fitting Backpack
When you go shopping for your next backpack, whether it’s for back to school, work or even an active pack here are a few things to keep in mind:
Look for a bag that has well-padded straps. The padding on the straps of the backpack will help to distribute the weight of the backpack rather than digging into your shoulders. This will also make it easier for you to keep your shoulders in a neutral position and make it less likely that you hunch forward with your backpack on.
If your backpack has straps across the waist and chest—use them! Similar to the shoulder padding, these straps will help to distribute the weight of your backpack across your body. Your core is STRONG, and these straps will help to engage your core so that your upper back, shoulders, and neck aren’t doing all the carrying.
Adjust the straps! Make sure you tighten the straps of your backpack so that it fits snugly to your back. You want to prevent your backpack from moving from side to side as you’re moving around. You also want to make sure your backpack is not hanging down too low or up too high. Getting your backpack to fit snuggly in the center of your back will help prevent back pain and support your posture.
2. How NOT to Wear your Backpack
On one shoulder… I’m not sure what 90’s movie made this a trend, but it’s time for it to go. Backpacks have two straps for a reason, so use them! Using both straps on your bag equally distributes the weight to your shoulders and upper back. It will also prevent you from hunching one shoulder up higher than the other.
Now I know you’re thinking, what about a tote bag? I know they’re cute (I use them too sometimes), but really—they’re not the best choice! A really heavy bag on one shoulder causes you to shift your posture to accommodate for the added weight being carried on one side of your body and not the other. Long-term use of tote bags whether it’s for work, school, or travel isn’t best for preventing pain or supporting your posture.
Another NOT to do: wear your backpack low on your back. The chiropractor in me cringes at how I wore my backpack growing up. The lower the straps hug, the cooler you were, right? WRONG. The lowest part of your backpack should sit snuggly to your lower back and stop before your glutes. I find that adults don’t have the hardest time adapting to this change, as it truly does feel more comfortable, but kids tend to fight on this one. Try to encourage them to tighten up their straps so their backpack doesn’t hang to the floor!
3. Watch the Weight
A backpack should not weigh any more than 10% of your body weight. So if your kiddo weighs 80 lbs, make sure their backpack weighs no more than 8 lbs! This can certainly become a challenge as kids move into middle school and high school and have lots of books to carry around but ask about options to leave books in the classroom or other ways to lessen the weight of their backpack.
When you pack up the bag, make sure you put the heaviest item closest to the back. Keeping heavier objects closest to the back is easiest for your body to carry and will put the least amount of strain on your back.
It doesn’t matter who you are, what your age is, or why you’re using a backpack, using the above tips to help you pick out the right backpack is key for preventing back pain and supporting your posture.
Picking out a good backpack isn’t the only thing to help your posture. Make sure you check out tips on setting up your workstation and the fixing your posture guide to help you take the next step towards improving your posture and limiting your pain in the most practical ways.
If you aren’t sure where to turn to look for a new backpack here are a few brands that I love.
LL Bean makes some great backpacks, especially for kids. They’re durable, supportive, and offer many of the features that were mentioned above.
The North Face also makes some great backpacks, especially for adults and those who are looking for more of an active pack.
Personally, I use the Women’s Recon bag from The North Face. One last tip for you—if a backpack comes in a “kids” or “women’s” size, check those out! They make those specific sizes for a reason and it may be a better fit for your body.