Lighten up! Your child’s backpack may be too heavy

Heavy Backpacks can be a weighty problem for many children.

Are you sending your child off to school with a backpack that is too heavy?

When buying one, make sure it is the right size for a child. Keep in mind, proportion.

Look for padded shoulders and different pockets to separate the weight.

The American Physical Therapy Association recommends a backpack should be 10 to 15 percent of a child's weight.

A backpack that is too heavy can injure a child.

The most common injuries occur in the shoulder because heavy straps can tear the tendons in the area.

If the child is leaning forward, that's a sign the backpack is too heavy.

More of the story here.