Backpack Fit Matters: How to Wear Your Backpack Properly
A backpack may seem like a simple part of everyday life, but an improperly fitted or overloaded backpack can contribute to neck, shoulder, and back discomfort. Whether you're carrying books to school, commuting to work, heading to the gym, or travelling, how you pack and wear your backpack can make a difference.
Research in children and adolescents has found associations between backpack use, particularly heavier loads and improper use, and musculoskeletal pain involving the back, neck, and shoulders. However, carrying a backpack does not automatically cause an injury. Factors such as the weight of the load, how long it is carried, how it is worn, the individual's strength and conditioning, and any pre-existing pain can all influence how the body responds.
What Problems Can an Improper Backpack Cause?
A backpack that is too heavy, poorly fitted, or worn incorrectly may increase the physical demands placed on the muscles and joints. Some people may experience:
Neck and shoulder pain or muscle fatigue
Upper or lower back discomfort
Shoulder pressure or irritation from poorly positioned straps
Increased muscle tension and fatigue
Changes in posture while carrying the load
Reduced comfort or tolerance for walking and other activities
Research has found a link between heavier backpack loads and musculoskeletal pain in school-aged children and adolescents. This doesn't mean that a heavy backpack will cause permanent damage, but persistent pain or significant discomfort shouldn't be ignored.
Choose the Right Backpack
Start with a backpack that fits your body rather than simply choosing one based on appearance or size. Look for:
Two wide, padded shoulder straps to distribute weight more evenly.
A padded back panel for comfort.
A waist or hip strap, particularly when carrying heavier loads.
A backpack that is appropriately sized for your torso and doesn't hang excessively below your waist.
Avoid relying on a single shoulder strap or carrying the backpack on one shoulder for prolonged periods. Using both shoulder straps helps distribute the load more evenly.
How Should a Backpack Fit?
Your backpack should sit relatively close to your back rather than hanging far away from your body. Adjust both shoulder straps evenly so the pack feels secure and comfortable.
If your backpack has a chest or sternum strap, use it to help stabilize the shoulder straps. For heavier loads, a waist or hip belt can help distribute some of the load away from your shoulders.
The backpack should not force you to lean significantly forward to compensate for the weight. If you find yourself changing your posture substantially just to carry the bag, it's a good sign that the load or fit needs to be adjusted.
How Heavy Is Too Heavy?
There isn't one perfect backpack weight that applies to everyone. Your age, body size, fitness level, backpack design, and how long you are carrying it all matter.
For children and adolescents, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends keeping a backpack at or below 15% of body weight, while some research and professional organizations recommend aiming closer to 10%.
Rather than focusing only on a number, pay attention to how the backpack feels. If carrying it causes pain, significant fatigue, difficulty walking upright, or requires you to lean forward, it's time to reduce the load or reassess the fit.
Pack It Strategically
How you pack your backpack matters too. Place heavier items close to your back and toward the centre of the backpack. Use different compartments to distribute items and prevent the contents from shifting around.
Clean out your backpack regularly and remove anything you don't actually need. A few extra books, water bottles, electronics, sports equipment, and personal items can quickly turn a manageable backpack into a heavy one.
Don't Ignore Pain
Backpack-related discomfort should not automatically be dismissed as something you simply need to “get used to.” If you regularly experience neck, shoulder, or back pain while carrying your backpack, consider whether the problem is the weight, fit, duration of carrying, or your body's current ability to tolerate the load.
A physiotherapist can assess your posture, strength, mobility, movement patterns, and tolerance to load and help determine what may be contributing to your symptoms. Treatment may include strengthening, mobility exercises, education, and strategies for gradually improving your ability to carry everyday loads.
A backpack should be a tool that helps you carry what you need, not something that leaves you in pain at the end of the day. A lighter load, a better fit, and stronger, more capable muscles can all help make carrying your backpack more comfortable.
Book a Physiotherapy Assessment in Barrie
If carrying your backpack is causing ongoing neck, shoulder, or back pain, or you're noticing discomfort even with a properly fitted and reasonably weighted bag, a physiotherapy assessment can help. Your physiotherapist can identify contributing factors such as strength, mobility, posture, movement patterns, and load tolerance, then develop an individualized plan to address them. Book a physiotherapy assessment today to get personalized advice and strategies to help you carry your backpack comfortably and confidently.
Contact Integrative Physiotherapy & Wellness in Barrie to book a physiotherapy assessment today.
References
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. (2018). Lighten the load this school year. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
American Academy of Pediatrics. (2022). Backpack safety. HealthyChildren.org. HealthyChildren.org – Backpack Safety
Moore, M. J., White, G. L., & Moore, D. L. (2007). Association of relative backpack weight with reported pain, pain sites, medical utilization, and lost school time in children and adolescents. Journal of School Health, 77(5), 232–239. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1746-1561.2007.00198.x
Rai, A., & Agarawal, S. (2021). Backpack improper use causes musculoskeletal injuries in adolescents: A systematic review. International Journal of Health Sciences, 15(3), 37–45.
