Carrying an overweight backpack is proven to increase a child’s risk of having chronic shoulder and back pain and leads to poor posture as an adult. The heavier a backpack gets, the greater a child’s risk. School can also bring many pressures to young students.
To help stop chronic pain and other problems before they start, occupational therapy practitioners around the country will be weighing in children and their backpacks this week.
At over 900 events that will reach more than 250,000 children, occupational therapists will not only instruct children not to carry more than 15 percent of their body weight on their backs (the limit for back safety), but they will also give children and families guidance on how to stay healthy and succeed in school.
To see if there is an event scheduled in your area, see a listing of events here:
http://www.promoteot.org/documents/BPEvents.pdfAreas with large numbers of events:
- Massachusetts
- New York City
- Pittsburgh
- Chicago
- Texas
- Baltimore
- Omaha
Events will also promote contribution of school supplies and backpacks to children affected by Hurricane Katrina.
Contact Peter Law at plaw@aota.org or 301-652-6611 x2963 for more information on individual weigh-in events or to speak with an expert on backpack safety.
To find out more about National School Backpack Awareness Day, visit http://www.promoteot.org/AI_BackpackAwareness.html or check with your school occupational therapist. Occupational therapy practitioners are available to work with students in every school district in the country.
Source: American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) 
