How to Handle a Heavy Backpack
Back at school, the backpacks quickly fill up with books – heavy books. So how do you avoid straining your back when everything you carry seems like a must? Your education may seem like a burden, but it is a heavy burden (literally) on your shoulders.
You are going to carry this weight, so distribute it evenly.
First things first: When packing your bag, you should strive for a fairly even horizontal weight distribution so that you don’t strain one side of your body more than the other. Heavier items should be at the bottom of the package ; this transfers its weight to your back and not to your shoulders and neck. If you have a lot of books, the heaviest textbooks should be placed closest to your back for the same reason – their weight will rest on your back instead of hanging on your shoulders.
Put on both straps. It’s obvious, but I definitely spent most of my teenage years pinning it down for some stupid reason. Both straps help distribute weight evenly and reduce the risk of injury. Of course, backpacks with wider padded straps put less stress on your shoulders than thin ones, so if you have a choice, go for the big and plush ones.
Some larger bags also have chest straps that go through the chest to help distribute the load. Seriously: it matters. Use them. If your bag doesn’t have one, you can easily add a chest strap to any bag for better support . Larger backpacks have straps around the waist to help transfer weight to your hips, but you probably won’t carry such a large bag for your day to day work.
Keep the bag as close to your body as possible . If the straps are loose, the bag will sway as you walk, and this actually puts more strain on your back muscles.
One frequently cited study recommends that a child’s backpack weigh less than fifteen percent of its weight. If you are trying to determine the limit of what you or your child should carry around, here is a simple calculator . Even though it’s safe for adults to carry more of this with them (backpackers might aim for roughly 20 percent ), 15 percent of your weight is still a reasonable upper limit for adults who carry a heavy everyday bag.
Stay organized so you don’t carry dead weight
Treating your backpack like a bottomless pit and carrying all your belongings with you at all times will only make you work harder. Instead, take the time to decide what you need before starting your day so that you only have the essentials. This is especially true when you bring multiple textbooks to class that you don’t need to attend that day.
There is a lot of other clutter that can build up, which is why you check your bag regularly to see how much weight you can lose. You probably don’t need to carry all the exams and articles from the past semester with you. Children can be especially disorganized with crumpled old homework stuffed in their backpacks and may need a helping hand to clean it out. It might not sound like a lot compared to these big, heavy tutorials, but these articles can add up – and every little thing helps.
Consider alternatives
Yes, I’m talking about e-books. The adoption of digital textbooks is quite slow for a variety of reasons , but they offer an almost weightless alternative if you have a tablet or computer that you can use to read them. Even if you stick to paper for important textbooks, relying on digital book alternatives that you don’t necessarily need all the time is an easy way to shed a few pounds.
You can even scan the passages you want . It’s hard, of course, but if you’re going to focus on a specific part of the book for a few weeks, it’s worth it.
Finally, you may not need to carry a backpack at all. There are a wide variety of trolley bags that can be adjusted – they can be carried or rolled up, and they are usually designed for air travel. If you really need to carry a ton of textbooks with you all day long, rolling suitcases is worth considering. There are also many versions for children .
If your mobile library is organized and your backpack is properly fitted so that it doesn’t pendulum out of books, you can avoid any serious fatigue or stress. Then you can focus on containing the more important academic pressures.