How to Prevent Back Pain from Backpacks

nymetroparents.com—August 6, 2015

Dr. Emily Dodwell, pediatric orthopedic surgeon at Hospital for Special Surgery, pens an article on preventing back pain in children from backpacks as we head into the new school year.

Many schools in Manhattan are often in older buildings with multiple flights of stairs and may not have the space to provide individual lockers to children, adding extra challenges for students as they lug around a potentially heavy backpack.

Dr. Dodwell provides tips such as:

• Bend from the knees when picking up the backpack

• Wear the backpack on both shoulders to distribute the weight

• Tighten straps so the backpack is close to the back

To read Dr. Dodwell’s full article, please visit nymetroparents.com.