How should your child’s school backpack be?

Children can only carry 10% of their body weight, so as not to put their health at risk. Students who carry many books and notebooks are at risk of back and injury pain

To avoid this, the backpack with two shoulder straps is a good option as long as it is the right size for the child. Many parents buy it big so they last several years and it is not the right thing to do. It should be 5 centimeters above the waist and the width should be similar to the student’s back. In addition, the shoulder straps should be padded, they should have a belt at waist height and several compartments

The backpack with a single handle is not very advisable, unless it is used sporadically. The wheeled backpacks are very practical and allow a little more weight (15%). The handle should be at the height of the hip and every so often the child must change hands to avoid injury of their wrist

Dr. Raúl Gutiérrez
Orthopaedic Surgeon at Clínica Ricardo Palma