Abbotsford Chiropractor - Living Well Chiropractic
 
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Whether your kids are going back to elementary school or you are going back to school yourself, buying a backpack is a big deal.  When determining fashion versus function, make sure you consider these 5 Living Well tips.

1. Make sure your backpack doesn't hang more than 4 inches below your waistline.

2. Your backpack should not exceed 10-15% of your total body weight when full.
-Research has shown that when a person carries over 15% of his/her body weight, their body must compensate to account for the load.

3. Look for a backpack with thick padded straps.
-Thicker straps help distribute the weight more evenly over the shoulders which will decrease the chances of neck and shoulder pain or injury.

4. Always use both straps.
-It may be cook to sling your pack across one shoulder, but this stresses the body unequally, and leads to postural imbalances.

5. Buy a backpack with lumbar support or a hip belt.
-The lumbar support helps to properly distribute the weight over the spine while also encouraging proper spinal contours. A hip belt, when used properly takes much of the stress off of the shoulders and distributes it over the hips.

Or you could bypass these five backpack blunders and use a backpack with rollers!  If you have questions about any of the above tips, bring your kids backpack in and we would be happy to fit it for them!